Heirlome
Honoring the authenticity of the artisans Heirlome collaborates with, their craftsmanship is seamlessly blended with impeccable tailoring, thoughtful details, and the finest fabrics, ensuring each piece is crafted with quality and longevity in mind.
Heirlome is a women’s ready-to-wear collection built on the idea of forgotten traditions. Founded by Stephanie Suberville and Jeffrey Axford, each collection introduces a new artisan’s work, explored through print, pattern, weaving, knitting and embroidery. We spoke with Sephanie Suberville about her creative process, working with artisans for each collection, and what’s in store for Heirlome as the brand continues to evolve.
Interview EMILY PETRUCCIONE
Images courtesy of HEIRLOME
ORIGIN & BRAND ETHOS
Growing up in Mexico, steeped in rich cultural traditions, how did your upbringing shape your journey into fashion, and what inspired you to create Heirlome?
My upbringing very much inspired and continues to inspire my journey in fashion. My mom is an interior designer, my older sister an architect and my younger sister an artist. My dad worked his whole life for a big department store in Mexico. Everyone in my family is an artist or in a creative field, we were definitely encouraged by my parents to pursue those dreams. I knew at a very young age I wanted to be a designer.
Growing up in Mexico, we traveled a lot within the country to visit various artisan communities in Mexico. My mom has always worked with artisans in her work, and both she and my dad have been collecting ‘artesania’ for a very long time. This experience directly inspired Heirlome, as we collaborate with different artisans every season.
Heirlome is anchored in the concept of “forgotten traditions.” How has this influenced the brand’s foundation?
The “forgotten traditions” comes from the idea that as technology continues to advance we lose and forget some of the traditions that made us who we are. The communities we collaborate with at Heirlome find it more and more challenging to keep their unique art forms alive, traditions they have carried from their ancestors, many of whom have roots in pre-Hispanic Mexican culture. From the start we wanted to collaborate with the artists and give them a new medium to work with, while giving it a modern twist with our fabric and designs. The goal being to bring their traditions to a new audience.
artisan ANGEL SANTOS
You co-founded Heirlome with your husband in 2022. How do you divide responsibilities, and how has your partnership shaped the brand’s evolution?
It’s been really rewarding building and creating something together. With any small business there are always highs and lows but we try to stay level-headed and focus on what we can control. I handle all the design and creative aspects of the brand as well as production, Jeff takes care of the operational and financial side of things. We support each other but we’re also not afraid to challenge each other, I can’t imagine doing this with anyone else. I get asked a lot “what is it like working with your spouse?” I usually respond by explaining it's not that different from raising kids together. You figure out what each other's strengths are and divide and conquer the rest.
DESIGN, MATERIALS & SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainability is at the core of Heirlome. How do you ensure sustainable practices throughout sourcing materials and production?
When sourcing fabrics we stick to high-end fabrics from small and sustainable mills, and use almost all natural fibers. We also focus a lot on the human side of sustainability. Many brands talk about the fabric but the people that make the clothes are often overlooked. Heirlome is only three years old, but I have known and worked with all the factories we partnered with for many years. I trust their practices as I have personally visited them.
“Many brands talk about the fabric but the people that make the clothes are often forgotten. Heirlome is only 3 years old, but I have known and worked with all the factories we produce in for many many years.”
CREATIVE PROCESS & INSPIRATION
Your prints bring such distinct impact and texture to your designs. How do you integrate them, and what role does storytelling play in your process?
Every season I start with the prints first, months in advance, before I even start thinking of a collection. We reach out to the artisan, and talk to them about our brand. When working on prints, they usually have full creative freedom to reinterpret the motifs of their work into an original print for us. All the artisans that we work with bring a unique style, and we want them to stay true to their work when collaborating with us. The original hand drawn work is shipped to me in New York and provides the inspirational starting point for the collection — it sets the tone, mood, and color palette. In the beginning it was a bit scary to relinquish control, not knowing what I might receive. So far it has worked quite well, I’m always pleasantly surprised to receive a new piece. It’s a totally unique way to start a collection, by being given a starting point by someone completely different each time and building from there.
Frida Kahlo’s work has noticeably inspired you. In what ways does her art shape your creative journey and influence the designs you create?
I think I was 5 or 6 years old when I discovered a giant Frida Kahlo coffee table book in my parents’ living room and started flipping through the pages. When I got to the page with a picture of “The Wounded Deer” I remember feeling scared, confused and very intrigued at the same time, thinking who is this woman? I have been obsessed with her ever since. Many things inspire me about Frida in my work, especially her authenticity. Her work and style are very much her own. I love her ability to communicate confusing feelings through her work as well as her vulnerability.
Heirlome’s visual identity is striking. Who are the collaborators that have helped bring the brand’s essence to life, and how do they influence your storytelling?
Every collaboration has played a huge part in what we do. The artisans; Jose Pajarito, Arturo Estrada, Juana Gomez Ramirez, Madres y Artesnas Tex., Jacobo y Maria Angeles (JYMA), Angelico Jimenez, Rodrigo de la Cruz Cabrera, Angel Santos, Jose de Jesus Alvarez Nogal, Talavera de la Reyna, Angelica Morena, and soon to come Alex Jurada.
I’m also very inspired by the photographers we work with, Alyona Kuzmina in NYC and Enrique Leyva who shoots all our campaigns in Mexico. Everyone we work with inspires us and helps bring Heirlome to life.
FW25 COLLECTION
We had the privilege of previewing Heirlome’s FW25 collection in New York. Can you walk us through the inspiration behind this collection and how it differs from your previous ones?
For FW25, we collaborated with Talavera de la Reyna, a collective of artisans in Puebla guided by founder Angelica Moreno. What was different about this collaboration is that they are a bigger team. Talavera de la Reyna designed three prints which was amazing and gave us a lot of options. When I first reached out to them, I was under the impression they were going to create something very traditional in their signature blue color. However, Angelica expressed her frustration with knock-offs of their work that have been popping out in airports and tourist shops. She expressed wanting to work on something much more modern and abstract but still representative of them. Her artwork really set the tone for this collection.
Another big inspiration this season was a story in Vogue Mexico shot by Enrique Leyva (who also shoots our campaigns) about braids, and braid culture in Mexico. I loved the pictures so much and I used this braid inspiration to create a silk braided embroidery fabric hand-made in India. There are also braid inspirations throughout our patchwork hand-made knits in Bolivia.
What are some standout pieces from the FW25 collection that you feel best represent the ethos of Heirlome?
The Milagros Top and Ivanna Skirt in the Talavera de la Reyna print and the Laia Top, completely hand-crochet patchwork top in silk styled with our best-selling Antonia Skirt.
“All our collaborators are at the heart of what we do. They give us a unique voice as a brand and we are committed to continue pushing ourselves and finding new ways to collaborate and support them in return.”
CLOSING FAVORITES & RECOS
Living in New York, what are some places or routines that shape your daily life and creativity—whether it’s stores, cafes, museums, parks, or restaurants?
To be honest, I’m a working mom of two so I don’t have a lot of free time! I’m at my most creative when I have time to drape in my studio by myself while listening to music. I drape and I play dress up, trying things on and chopping them off. When you have a small business it becomes harder and harder to have time, but being able to take a few days to drape is very important in each collection. Usually after draping I sketch, and I have to be at home listening to a podcast or music when I sketch. I don’t really have a set routine, as every day is different. I just have to be flexible and push myself to make more time for the creative portion of the job.
Are there any emerging brands or artists from Mexico or Latin America that you’re excited about and would like to highlight?
In Mexico I really like Julia y Renata. There are so many great brands coming out of Mexico and Latin America. I attended a LAFS meeting last year (Latin American Fashion Summit). What they do is really great, they are helping a lot of small Latin brands get their foot in the door.
LOOKING AHEAD
Heirlome is still in its early chapters. What’s next for the brand, and what are your aspirations for the future?
Many of the artisans we collaborate with use the Spanish word 'rescatar' to emphasize their dedication to reviving ancestral techniques. This goes beyond simply rescuing, it speaks to a greater effort to reclaim ancestral skills and techniques and honor a cultural heritage that is at risk of disappearing. We see Heirlome in the same manner, a slower more deliberate design and production process, using traditional techniques. As we continue to grow, we want to give the artisans we work with a platform for greater recognition. At some point when we open our own boutiques in addition to our clothing we hope to also sell some of their works as well.
Heirlome is the middle English word for Heirloom, a valuable object that has been part of a family for many generations. For more information about the brand, visit heirlome.com
Images courtesy of Heirlome.
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