Building a Lesage-Inspired Atelier in Mexico

From Dover Street Market to Atelier Filippini, this Mexican designer is shaping a couture embroidery space in Guadalajara.

I had heard of Kenia Filippini before.

I just had never met her.

Long, deep brown wavy hair, tanned skin, almost 37 years old, originally from Tecuala, Nayarit. She’s one of the few designers who chose to be based in Guadalajara, in comparison to others who prefer to go to Mexico City to develop their brands.

So when I heard her story at a local event, I realized it was pure gold.

Let me explain: after developing her skills in embroidery since a young age, creating brooches for kids at school and launching her first brand, MIMILI, she went on to Paris to follow her dream of learning embroidery at Lesage. By chance, she ended up working at Atelier Montex, part of Chanel’s Paraffection group, and also at Caraco and Dynale, all without any previous formal training.

Years later, she would end up with her own brand specialized in lycra, Dream Baby!, inspired by her love for Sasha Cohen’s skater outfits (made by Vera Wang) and the Mexican magazine Baby, Baby, Baby. She began her path creating ic…