LAGO DE ATITLÁN

What else is there to say, other than this must be one of Mother Nature’s greatest works of art. Lago de Atitlán was volcanic in it’s origin, formed into this large lake by an eruption some 84,000 years ago. With an estimated maximum depth of 1,120 feet, this lake is considered to be the deepest in all of Central America... not to mention one of the most beautiful in the world. Well deserved title, we must say. It is surrounded by many little towns characterized by the Mayan people and is rich in animal life, providing a food source for the largely populated indigenous people. It comes as no surprise that this was a major source of inspiration for our AW 2014 collection and lookbook shoot. Leave it to the Stela 9 crew to incorporate a little play into our work, giving ourselves a little dose of adrenaline by cliff jumping in San Marcos. We’ll let the pictures speak for themselves… PS. #nofilter

Our model Walker about to cliff jump in San Marcos

   AW 2014 Collection: Floral Rust Rucksack

Guatemala: A Land of Abundant Inspiration

While it is commonly known that many of our bags are handmade ethically in Guatemala, the rich connection our line has with the country, traditions and people may not be such common knowledge. Our owner and designer Jess has spent a great deal of time in the country, living there on and off for a number of years. For those of us who have had the pleasure of spending time in the country, it is easy to see how it can inspire an entire label, such as Stela 9.

One of the many interesting things one can stumble upon in Guatemala are the weaving traditions of the indigenous Maya people. The textiles created through the weaving process can be seen everywhere: on the huipils, which are the traditional blouses the indigenous women wear, being sold at market stands on the streets and as decoration in homes, stores and restaurants. These textiles are either made on a traditional treadle loom which is powered by a foot pedal or the mobile Maya backstrap, which uses a simpler technology. Often times as you walk through the city streets of the lovely Antigua (a small town in Guatemala which is known for its surrounding volcanoes and tourist attractions) you can see Mayan women working on their weaving in front of shops or even in the middle of the park. Antigua is a favorite travel location of Guatemala and where Jess spent much of her time. As Stela 9 bags are known for their patterns, colors and textures it is easy to see where some of this inspiration comes from in Guatemala. Homes are painted in vibrant shades and covered in vegetation. Women walk through the streets covered in intricately weaved huipils. From the surrounding nature, to the beautiful jade stones, hand crafted leather and textiles, to the simplicity of the colorful decorations in a family's home, there are endless things to be inspired by. 

Market selling huipils, souvenirs and textiles

pattern play

textiles

The streets of Antigua

The Mayan ruins of Tikal

The doors of a hostel in San Marcos, Lake Atitlan

Lace head scarves

Little girl in the park in Antigua

Vibrant colors

patterns and textiles

Little girls playing 

Women at work

A lovely display of bags and textiles

Textile creation

Man biking in Antigua

Antigua skies

Clearly, it is hard not to be inspired. In recent years we even returned to Antigua, Guatemala to do an on location shoot for our Spring/Summer 2012 Lookbook. 

The architecture, the people, the nature, the textiles, the patterns, the weather and much more of Guatemala have all been a little piece of the puzzle that created Stela 9.