From Mexico, With Love: How Nature Inspires Our Products (and Everythi

From Mexico, With Love: How Nature Inspires Our Products (and Everything We Do)

Words & Photos by Vonnie, Co-Director of Inkkas

There’s a moment when the light hits just right—when the shadows of wrought-iron balconies ripple across dusty pink walls, and the scent of roasted corn drifts from a street cart around the corner. In Guadalajara, that moment happens often. The city feels alive with rhythm, color, and craft.

While Inkkas is known for our artful, adventure-ready footwear, my trip to Guadalajara this August was focused on something a little different: jewelry. We’ve recently introduced a small, curated collection of handcrafted pieces, and this sourcing journey offered the chance to go straight to the heart of where so much artistry begins.

But this trip ended up being about more than sourcing. It was about seeing.

The City of Trees

Guadalajara was once called La Ciudad de los Árboles—The City of Trees—and walking its streets, it’s easy to see why. Meticulously pruned ficus, jacarandas, and sea grapes line parks and avenues like guardians of time, their roots so strong and determined they lift sidewalks, reshape curbs, and bend the landscape to their will.

I took dozens of photos of these trees—some leaning at impossible angles, defying gravity, with their canopies still gracefully balanced above. They’re a metaphor, really: for balance, for adaptation, for staying grounded while reaching outward. And like so much here, they remind me of design. Nature, after all, is the original artisan.

A City That Designs Itself

Everywhere you turn in Guadalajara, you’re greeted with bold contrasts: glossy, modern murals side-by-side with centuries-old tilework. Deep ochres, turquoise-painted doorways, pressed tin ceilings, clay pottery glowing in sunlight.

In the markets, I ran my fingers over woven textiles and hand-rolled silver, soaking in the textures. The city’s color palette—earthy, warm, with vibrant jolts—felt instantly familiar, echoing the tones and spirit behind so many Inkkas designs.

Artisanship in Action

One morning, I visited a small jewelry workshop tucked behind a family home. These lightweight, handcrafted earrings were being made using traditional chaquira bead weaving, an Indigenous art form rooted in western Mexico and carried on by Wixárika artisans for generations. Each piece blends ancient symbolism with modern design, creating jewelry that is both storytelling and wearable art.

I watched as a young woman carefully etched a pattern that would become the next pair, each stroke precise and meaningful. We spoke about heritage, about patience, about how beauty takes time. It reminded me why we do what we do: because thoughtful design and ethical craftsmanship matter.

Inspired Beyond the Product

Even though jewelry is just a small piece of the Inkkas offering, this trip reaffirmed something much bigger. Inspiration doesn’t live inside a studio. It’s out here—on the streets, in the stories, in the hands of the people who make beautiful things because they care.

Whether it’s the shape of an archway, the rustle of papel picado in the wind, or the curve of a tree that refuses to grow straight—these details are design. And they stay with you.

What’s Next

We’re bringing home more than just jewelry samples—we’re bringing back ideas! For shoes, for home goods and accessories, for what’s possible when you walk slowly, look closely, and stay curious. We can't wait to share our newest Fall 2025 collection, dropping in just a few weeks.

If you find a little extra soul in your next pair of Inkkas, now you know where it came from. ;)

xoxo Vonnie