The Value of Craftsmanship: Lessons from Hermès

I believe it’s important to have a clear vision of where you want to go and who you want to be. I know it can be hard to hold onto that vision and stay motivated at the same time.

My vision for Moon & Milk is big. I want to build a design house, with a flagship store in Oaxaca, Mexico, and two studios, one in Los Angeles and one in Munich. I want to start working with sterling silver and gold, along with sapphires and diamonds. Most importantly, I want to keep telling women’s stories and recognizing the people at every stage of my business: my clients, my makers, and my supply chain. And I want to show the world how beautiful and valuable Mexican craftsmanship is.

But along the way, the stress of running a small business can cloud those goals and values. Just last year, I was a one-woman show, and I knew I could no longer do everything myself. With the help of Nest, a nonprofit with a global artisan network, I won a business grant and was able to move my production to my favorite place in the world: Oaxaca. People suggested I manufacture in China, but I ignored them. In my heart, it just didn’t sit right with me.

Being a solo entrepreneur is hard, especially without guidance or validation for your work. Then one day, a 60 Minutes interview with Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director of Hermès, popped up in my YouTube feed. From that moment on, I knew exactly who I wanted to be. It confirmed my dream: an artisan school, earrings that are never mass-produced, and a business that’s still profitable. I had the best example right in front of me, and it made me trust myself even more. If Hermès could do it, so could I.

Everything Mr. Dumas said in that interview resonated with me, especially as a Mexican American. Mexico has extraordinary artisans, and for too long they have been undervalued. It’s time for Mexican artisans to own their power and be recognized for their remarkable skill.

In case you haven’t noticed, I talk a lot about recognition in my work: recognition of women’s stories and their work, and recognition of Mexican craftsmanship. This matters deeply to me, especially now, with the current White House administration attacking and degrading my culture. What Mr. Dumas has done for French craftsmanship, I want to do for Mexican craftsmanship. French artisans don’t sell their handmade work for $15, because they know the value it brings to their country. That’s exactly what I want for Mexico.

So you can only imagine how thrilled I was to be selected for the American Craft Convening in New York City. I was going to meet the team behind the brand I’ve looked up to for so many years and present my work to them. It was a dream come true.

This is a labor of respect, dignity, and love, and of what I value most: creative freedom. Freedom to create and independence are the values I took from Hermès. When you stay true to your values and make an excellent product, those values shine through in everything you do. I hope to carry them into Moon & Milk.

With love,

Alejandra