Meet The Artisans

Luisa Soto discovered the world of jewelry making in 2009 when she became a mother. Leaving the corporate ladder, she started a course in jewelry design, opened up her own workshop, and founded Luisa Soto Joyeria as a way of keeping her family united, involving all her family members in various aspects of the business.

Luisa Soto Joyeria’s pieces have a decidedly contemporary design that’s inspired by moving geometric figures, everyday life, and the beauty of nature, transformed into metal through various innovative techniques.

Del Portillo was founded by Bogotà designer Jose David Del Portillo in 2014, inspired by the belief that the value of tradition lies in the preservation of work done by human hands. Del Portillo’s pieces are built from the understanding of man's relationship with the space he inhabits and shares finding the opportunity to give a new meaning to the objects that represent it.

Del Portillo has been exhibiting around the world a variety of pieces made mostly of wood, which mix technical, exploratory, and artisanal processes, giving their designs a unique aesthetic.

Atelier 122 is a brand born out of N and T Collection, a Colombian company founded by Nathalia Alvarez, who has more than 15 years of experience in the artisanal world. Recognizing the market gap for natural and organic fibers, Atelier 122 was added as a sister brand to be able to offer different products, generate employment opportunities, as well as work with sustainably sourced and environmentally friendly materials.

Martielli was founded in 2018 by fashion designer and marketer Paola Martínez. With the creation of Martielli, Paola wanted to reaffirm Latin America’s fashion presence and capabilities. Martielli is a fashion brand for women by women with a sophisticated, bohemian, adventurous, and above all fun style.

Motivated by the conservation and recovery of our ecosystems, Martielli embarked on a sustainability journey in a very innovative way, creating a striking ecological product made out of plastic waste that is weaved into Martielli’s signature towel.

After several years of leading projects with a social focus in a technology company, Andrea Garcia Orjuela took the leap and founded Manosabia. Her dream was to start a brand that combined her fascination with crafts, her passion for decoration, and her motivation to recognize the tireless work of Colombia’s rural artisans.

Started in 2016, Manosabia’s mission is to keep the creative spirit in permanent evolution in order to offer new decorative pieces inspired by different handcrafted techniques, where quality and attention to detail are the brand’s signature.

Trained as an architect, Lina Maria Olmos has always had an interest in discovering, reinterpreting and repurposing materials. In 2019 she merged this curiosity and creative passion to found Kret.

Kret set out to cross over the barriers and elevate a material whose use is understood as if it were only for construction: concrete. However, the versatility of concrete allows for the creation of innovative pieces able to take unimaginable shapes and forms, as can be seen in her designs.

After being laid off from her job in the midst of last year's pandemic, Adriana Mejia founded Almā in Cholula, Mexico. With a passion for entrepreneurship from when she was a young child, Adriana did not hesitate to start her own brand. Her incredible artistic talent can be seen in the beauty of her handmade pieces, which convey her true essence and creativity.

The name Almā, which in English means “soul,” was inspired by the fact that Adriana transmits her soul into every piece she creates. Almā’s goal is to design home decor pieces using eco-friendly materials and a conscious production method, avoiding waste and excessively large inventories.

Kastadöni was born from the love and passion Natalia Vivanco and Cristina Díaz have for their country, its culture, its artistry, and most importantly its people. As friends and entrepreneurs with the motivation to represent the work of Mexican artisans through decorative handmade textiles, Natalia and Cristine work to empower their team of artisans, giving them the recognition, admiration, and fair trade they deserve. Kastadöni’s goal is to give something back to their country that has given them so much and has made them who they are.

Crudo Caan is an artisanal jewelry studio based in Mexico City. The studio mainly works with clay and different ancestral techniques of Mexican culture. Everything created in the studio is designed, crafted, and assembled carefully by hand.

Crudo Caan seeks to connect their deep ancestral Mexican roots to a global community in constant search for timeless creations, through handmade and ethically crafted ceramics and natural fiber pieces. Behind the creation of each piece, there is a natural rhythm–a simple minimalistic design and admiration of Mexican prehispanic civilizations.

Numu is a beginning, the root and the start; the freedom and the possibility of constant change. Numu creates unique objects to accompany you in your daily life; to promote union, coexistence and rituals through memorable experiences.

Founded by Natalie Priede, a passionate designer committed to aesthetics and organic processes, Numu was inspired by the dream to create items with meaning that can be present in the most special of life's moments; the moments of which life is made of.

 

Kalina was founded in 2021 with a desire to share the passion of home decoration and tableware styling with the world. Stepping into an extremely competitive landscape, Kalina creators, Regina and Alejandra, launched their brand with a commitment to quality and style at competitive prices.

After months seeking out the best Mexican artisans and craftspeople around the country, they found a local craft workshop in Tonalá, Jalisco; a town better known for its clay and ceramic arts and crafts. Today they bring their crafts to customers around the world.

Yooko Studio was founded by Alejandro Vazquez in 2014 as a learning laboratory to explore the intersection of art and design through contemporary ceramics. With a background in Industrial Design, Alejandro is in charge of all of the processes, from design to production, handcrafting each unique piece himself.

Over time he has developed a catalog of products, offering a variety of colors, shapes and textures born from the manual construction of clay and the combination of glazes.

Khadija Bouchaqour founded Makramé Ahd in 2021 as a full-time student and mother to little princess Ahd, whom the brand is named after. Khadija’s love for macramé started at just 15 years old, when she began experimenting with the craft. And after years of self-taught practice, Khadija is now the proud founder of her own macramé brand.

Makramé Ahd is a workshop specializing in the creation of macramé art with a wide variety of textures, styles, and 100% natural materials. Using both classic macramé knots as well as various weaving techniques, these unique macramé designs will bring warmth and depth to your home.

Tadd’Art Collection was founded by Maria Tijani, an interior designer and architect inspired by her Amazigh origins. Tadd'Art, which means house in Amazigh, is a large table of inspiration around which ancestral knowledge and the energy of the youngest get to interact.

Tadd’art Collection cultivates a passion for ancestral and new things that pushes them to be authentic and innovative at the same time, through the techniques, materials, and colors used in the creation process.

Oumama and Naila, sisters in life and partners in this professional project, founded Oumaati at the beginning of 2022. After years of separate experiences in the field, Oumaati was launched to preserve Moroccan leather artisanship, while anchoring it resolutely in modernity using contemporary design techniques. All of Oumaati’s products are handcrafted in the family workshop with its head - Maati - Oumama and Naila’s father and mentor, masterfully orchestrating the making of all creations, drawing on 40 years of experience.

Luun Ceramics was founded in 2021 by Rabat-based sister duo Lina and Ghita Khaoulani, a PhD. candidate who is a lifelong artist/designer, and an Architect.  Their journey to bring their passion for things Handmade to life led them to experiment with clay as a base material. Combining inspirations from interior design and the world of emotions, they give free rein to their ability to fuse influences and techniques in creating each new piece, manufacturing in small batches. Luun’s pieces highlight the little things that make up our daily lives. 100% handmade, imperfections are part of the brand’s trademark characteristics.

It was destiny that brought Nathalie to Morocco over 16 years ago, where she’s since renovated three 18th-century buildings in Marrakech’s medina, transforming them into what is now Maison Anaroze Riad Marrakech.

Her interior design style is a mix of raw and authentic, using materials such as clay, wood, lime patinas, and plaster. By contrasting raw objects and materials with more fragile and well-worn materials, Maison Anaroze brings to life a timeless aesthetic that feels both centuries-old and contemporary.

Marrakech born and raised Soufiane Zaytoune started working with his hands at the very young age of 14 when helping out in his father’s garage. After designing and creating his own custom-made leather travel bag, Soufiane was surprised by the great interest shown in his work.

Inspired to continue his creative process as an artisan, Soufiane now creates marble, brass, and leather products with the aim of showcasing the great traditions of Moroccan craftsmanship with an added modern spin.

GUNIA Project was created in 2017 by Natasha Kamenska and Maria Gavryliuk with a mission to preserve Ukrainian national values and show the world the beauty of Ukraine by highlighting handmade crafts like decorative paintings, ceramics, wicker weaving, and embroidery.

In line with our mission of bringing the world’s most exceptional artisans to you, The Nopo is partnering with GUNIA Project to support Ukrainian artisans and their country. 100% of the money you spend on Ukrainian crafts will go directly to GUNIA Project, with zero fees taken out.