“I don’t see fashion as a job, I see it as a lifestyle which makes me have fun and project my own vision”.

A “lifesyle” is the word that 29-year-old Mexican designer Maria Meza uses to describe her fashion line.

Maria Meza is a new face designer from Mexico, living in New York city. She was born in Irapuato Guanajuato, Mexico where she studied fashion design and haute couture.“What inspires me the most about fashion is being able to create, having something in mind and make them through a piece of clothing, whether it is shoes or accessories. I see fashion as a language, a way of self expression.” When asked how long she has had an interest in fashion her expression said it all.

With a big smile, she said, “I have loved fashion since I can remember. I remember when I was a child and my parents gave me money, I used to save it to buy special pieces of clothes. I was madly attracted to fashion. I love unique pieces that are beyond following a trend because it change from time to time. Sometimes we get trapped from all of their details that make them unique and desiring. Quality is another basic factor. I believe that design and quality are the best fusion.”

Recently she turned her dream into a reality, by launching her own jewelry line, Pipirisnais. She defines her brand’s concept of creations and designs as mexican magic.

After studying fashion design in Mexico, she continued her studies with 2 years of Haute Couture studies with Letica Fuentes. She decided to become a freelancer because she liked the idea of having her own business. At the time she focused on high fashion couture ; during that 2 years she made 13 unique garments. After that she decided to move to Guadalajara Jalisco in Mexico where she had a new adventures in art world, specific in painting, “That was literally a time of self discovery because up until that time there was only fashion in my head. After 4 years of exploring, I had the opportunity to work with many brilliant people that made me learn new things, even own my own artistic project. I did some collaborations and textile interventions in a few pieces that took me to a showcase in Bangkok. This one was one of the most important because it made me realize any diversity of art in this world. I love to travel and explore new places, and it became a part of my inspiration to create new things. I've been in the world of fashion for 10 years. As a freelancer I worked on my private projects, and I’ve been doing arts since 5 years ago. I loved this part of my life because it makes me complete and more free as a creative being.”

While doing a lot of projects in Mexico, she also had collaborated with Vogue Mexico.

Maria has break every walls in her life. She is a true artist and believes that New York is a place where she can express herself. ‘I came to New York to be more who I am, to show what I’ve got for this world! New York is a huge and busy city this place can make you or break you down. But for me, New York is pushing and inspiring me to create and work harder on my project with the unique way, make me learn more for who I am and for what I want to show out my styles. In this town being unique is part of it.”

Maria has spent her time in New York, working as a stylist as well as growing her jewelry brand that recently launched.

“During the time I’m living here I realized that presenting yourself with no bias either boundary is essential – you have to open to anything. I really enjoy going out and see fashion everywhere in New York. I find it’s fascinating that this city is so liberating where you can shine out yourselves. And inspirations are everywhere in this city.”

Maria said New York gives her more and more inspiration especially, on accomplishing her own jewelry brand which it is her dream.

“I’ve started about this brand since 2 years ago it was 6 months before I came to New York - Pipirisnais is a contemporary brand that I want it to shine with the concept of equality of sex, especially the power of femininity becoming one, no gender differences. The design of earrings got inspirations from many things: art in all of its expressions from painting, sculpture, nature, sexuality leaning towards eroticism, geometry, or even the body parts like vaginas, penis, lips, hands and hearts etc. The brand was created in fun and natural way, no rules or limits, just flowing and magic growing that’s why Pipirisnais is a Mexican magic and let you feel our unique. With magic I mean everything that shines in this world: music, painting, nature, imperfection, poetry, eroticism, color, photography, art.”

So where exactly did the name, “Pipirisnais” come from? “Pipirisnais was created as a mispronunciation of the already inaccurate phrase “people is nice”, from some group of Mexican immigrants to the USA, it could be “nice people” or “fancy people”. Or even a thing – something that looks high class/expensive.
From time to time ‘Pipirisnais’ became popular even being used in soap operas as it spreads around the country.
I found it interesting to know its background and the pronounce of the word. I can feel fun and joyful, to be Pipirisnais – it’s very fascinating.” said Fuentes.”

For its first collection Pipirisnais starts with 9 main ideas of 15 different designed pieces using
acrylics with different textures and colors from the most kitsch stones in jewelry. The glitter, mirrors, primary colors - carey, black, white and Barbie pink take the stage in a collection where the freedom and unique has taken place.

“Pipirisnais is my life project, I've devoted 2 years of my life for it and I'm very happy about it. I've really enjoyed the creative process, that is what I enjoy the most as a creative. I feel free to create my ideas from everything that inspires me with no limits or bias, I just flow and work it on creating my own project.”

Pipirisnais has team of Mexicans – designed by Maria Meza. They are all creative people who chasing for their dreams of ‘creating arts’ as a magic with no limits. The jewelry will be on sell both on website of Pipirisnais which based in New york (http://www.pipirisnaiss.com) and at the same time on virtual store “Boriska” (www.boriskaclothing.com) that based in Mexico.

As for the future, Maria is planning to make a new collection that brings different pieces that complement each other. She is thinking about bringing the design of shirts and bags as the next steps of Pipirisnais while continuing her design and stylist work.