xajab
The Client: The Galdamez Family
The Industry: Artisanal shoe makers
The Team: Students from Caltech, The ArtCenter College of Design and Universidad Rafael Landivar
The project
The idea for Xajab came from the Maya and kaqchiquel cultures, using their vibrant colors to create a positive impact. This collection is designed for international trendsetting markets, whose trends change with every season but who also demand different and unique products.
Co-creation
This project was part of a collaborative approach between students from Caltech, The ArtCenter College of Design and Universidad Rafael Landivar as part of the Product Design for the Developing World course.
The collection combines leather and traditional Guatemalan fabrics, giving it a strong national identity and differentiating it from the existing products in the market. Not only does Xajab have a strong national identity but one of the aims of this collection was to design products which could be handmade using age-old techniques and the machinery available to the Galdamez family.
Xajab gives the Galdamez family a new product, which brings with it new markets and economic possibilities. These modern designs give the Galdamez family the opportunity to expand their business practices offering handmade, high quality products, with a Guatemalan identity.
