What makes up the quintessential Mexican shirt? If you put the question to local designer and workshop owner Alejandro Julian, he has a ready and detailed answer.
As a design entrepreneur with deep roots in the Jalisco region, he has an established following among the clothing cognoscenti, who trek regularly to his elegant showroom tucked away in a corner of his native Santa Tere neighborhood in Guadalajara.
“Our clothing is an updated version of traditional (guayabero) shirts with echoes of styles from across the many regions of Mexico,” explains the soft-spoken designer. “We have taken these familiar regional elements and made them more contemporary by combining both hand-made, individual quality with more modern details for both men and women.” With a tuck here or there, a longer hem, or a seam that flatters a curve of the body, the clothing is both elegantly casual and timelessly Mexican.
Slipping through the security door after being buzzed to his workshop property, we are greeted by a delightful fountain flowing out of the stone wall opposite the iron gated showroom doors. Inside, a large warehouse space, lovingly rehabilitated as a loft for work and living space for Julian and his family, offers a serene atmosphere for sampling the creations within. Exposed brick walls and steel ceiling beams, indirect lighting in niches filled with sculptures by Alejandro himself surround a wall lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with folded shirts and blouses. Many are constructed from manta, the sturdy cotton of the campesinos, while others are formed in fine Mexican-produced cottons and linens, all are dyed in soft earth, jewel and natural tones, all have natural shell button details, and all are the product of the celebrated hand-embroidered artistry of the nearby Huichol Indian crafters with whom Julian has had a long-standing business and personal relationship.
As he explains, it all began more than 20 years ago when he befriended a group of Huichol artisans. The young man was impressed by the intricate elegance of their traditionally embroidered vestments and asked them to stitch a few simple designs on his own shirts. Shortly thereafter he was on the road to becoming a fashion designer of men’s clothing. Over the years, his design team, comprised of himself, his wife Miriam and about ten others, expanded into women’s attire. Now settled into his self-renovated workshop and living quarters on Calle Juan Manuel in the central district of Guadalajara, Julian now offers a line of limited editions in casual and semi-formal shirts, tunics, jackets, robes and some dresses. No two pieces of clothing have the same handwork. Every creation is a unique work to be treasured for years.
Julian himself has an oddly Zen-like quality. His affinity for the Huichol culture is amply demonstrated by his respectful camaraderie with “Pedro,” who serves as the ambassador between the Tapatio and sierra, arranging for the delivery of the clothing to the several mountain villages for embroidery and its delivery back to the workshop for sale.
Guests are also welcome to visit the balcony gallery with objets d’art created by his artist brother and sister, or repurposed objects and works by other family and friends. Shop manager and design team member Monica greets visitors with an exhortation to relax and try on as many as they like – the only way to know which piece is to put it on and admire.
Alejandro Julian is located at Juan Manuel 1311, S.H., Col. Centro, Guadalajara; open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Most major credit cards accepted; discounts for cash purchases. Contact the showroom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 3825-7464.