Leather,
Memory and the Atelier in Prague
My atelier is located in the heart of Prague, on the banks of the Vltava River. Just a few steps from the National Theatre, inside the historic SmetanaQ building ,a multidisciplinary space connecting contemporary art, design and gastronomy
I have built a place that reflects both my work and my understanding of craftsmanship.
The studio is open and filled with natural light entering through large windows overlooking the river, Prague Castle and the Petřín Tower. Around me are sculptural shoes hanging on the walls, wooden shoe lasts, leather scraps collected over the years, and a large table where ideas slowly take shape by hand.
It is a space where art, design and manual work coexist naturally.
A Family Memory Carried Through Leather
In my hands travels a family tradition spanning more than three generations.
Both of my grandfathers came from Cotacachi, an Andean town in Ecuador widely recognized as the “leather capital” of the country. There, where craftsmanship and leatherwork are deeply rooted in everyday life, my grandfather Elio Ruiz became known for experimenting with new techniques in leather treatment and production.
He passed away when I was only five years old, but I still carry memories of his workshop.
I remember spending time there as a child, the smell of leather, the conversations between craftsmen, the shops, the light at sunset. When my grandfather passed away, much of that knowledge disappeared with him.
My mother never imagined someone in the family would continue that path. At the time, many families in the community hoped their children would pursue more conventional professions.
“I remember the smell of leather, the conversations between craftsmen and the light at sunset.”
When I decided to study Product Design at the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, I became what I jokingly call “the black sheep” of the family.
Later, searching for a deeper specialization, I moved to Prague after being accepted into the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design (UMPRUM), where I focused on footwear and fashion design. It was there that I reconnected deeply with leather.
For me, leather is a noble material. It has accompanied humanity since the beginning helping us walk, stay warm and protect ourselves from nature. It is incredibly flexible and can be transformed through endless techniques. In manyways, it feels irreplaceable.
Between
Art and Fashion
Prague slowly became my second home. While studying, I supported myself by teaching Spanish, while at the same time developing my own visual language through shoes and objects inspired by memory, geometry and craftsmanship.
People often ask me how I would describe my style, but I believe it is something that should be seen more than explained.
“My work exists somewhere between art and fashion.”
I create timeless objects that do not follow trends. I do not feel my work is
specifically Ecuadorian or Czech, it is simply an extension of myself.
Although footwear originally represented most of my work, over time I expanded into handbags, accessories, luggage and jewelry. Today I work primarily with Italian
and European vegetable-tanned leather, processed using natural tannins extracted from trees and plants.
The result is a resistant, long-lasting and biodegradable material that ages naturally over time.
Among my creations are sculptural handbags, geometric footwear and small leather objects produced entirely by hand. Depending on the complexity of the design, a single pair of shoes can require more than forty hours of meticulous work.
Intuition,
Geometry and Prague
My creative process is highly intuitive and far removed from the moodboard-driven systems often associated with contemporary fashion design.
The best ideas usually appear while I am walking or riding the tram through Prague.
Images arrive unexpectedly, almost as subconscious constructions slowly revealing themselves.
“The best ideas usually appear while I am walking or riding the tram through Prague.”
Geometry and pattern-making allow me to reconnect instinctively with my Andean roots. At the same time, Prague its architecture, textures and atmosphere, has deeply influenced the way I see form and structure.
I generally prefer the intimacy of working alone. The atelier is not only a workspace, but also a place of reflection and experimentation.
Outside production periods, I occasionally open the studio to visitors, inviting people to discover the process behind the objects and the slower rhythm of handmade creation.
Objects
as Memory
Despite building my life in Europe, Ecuador remains deeply present in everything I do. I travel back regularly, always returning to Cotacachi.
My mother who once believed nobody in the family would continue this tradition eventually donated many of my grandfather’s original tools and molds to the local Museum of Cultures.
I still keep some of them in my atelier. “I use themalmost like amulets.”
I often think about the idea of inherited memory. I believe we carry emotional and genetic traces of those who came before us. I am certain that something from my grandfather Elio still lives within me.
Whenever I face a technical, creative or even existential doubt, I silently ask myself how he would solve it.
It maysound a little esoteric, but somehow an answer always arrives.