Meet the former Miss Guatemala bringing her country’s artisanal couture to the luxury fashion world

When Alida Boer won the title of Miss Guatemala in 2007, she had the opportunity of traveling around her country, leading her to discover the richness and craftsmanship found in Guatemala. Enter  Marias Bag , the high-fashion product better defined as artisanal couture that was born after discovering the bold colors and textiles and intricate weaving traditions passed down from generation to generation that enriches Guatemalan culture.

© @alidaboer

“I started thinking how can we showcase this beautiful art around the world? And slowly, slowly, it took me like almost two years to decide that the way to showcase these beautiful pieces was through handbags.”

Today Marias bag are found globally across Latin America, London, Miami and South Africa to name a few. Not only are her bags captivating and beautifully-made pieces of art, but each of them tells a story that celebrates artistic heritage derived from the Mayan culture.

Although Marias Bag carries a wide array of luxe contemporary designs, one of our favorites is the No-worry dolly clutch. We’ll let you watch Alida explain the endearing story behind it in the video above!