Abrazos

Abrazos means “hugs” in Spanish. That’s exactly how the shop got its name — American founder Patrice Winn chose it to express the warmth she felt in Mexican culture.

Patrice moved to Mexico in 2000 and fell in love with San Miguel de Allende, a colonial town in central Mexico that has long attracted artists, writers, and expats. A chance meeting with a local seamstress soon turned into a business. Patrice began designing aprons, robes, and blouses — bright, playful pieces with a distinctly Mexican feel. She worked with women from San Miguel to produce them, and in 2010 opened a shop in the historic centre of town, just three blocks from the main square, Jardín Allende.

Abrazos focuses on textiles with Mexican motifs. Fabrics feature Frida Kahlo, Day of the Dead skeletons, traditional patterns, tropical birds, and Mexican food. These prints are used to make aprons (classic styles, patchwork versions, designs with vegetables or skeletons), dresses, skirts, blouses, shirts for men and boys, baby bibs, and robes. For the kitchen, there are napkins, pot holders, and placemats. For the home, pillowcases, sleep masks, glasses cases, and luggage tags.

Patrice’s husband, Ernesto, works with painted wood. His collection, Ernesto’s Mexican Art, includes hand-painted chairs, spoons, maracas, and wooden hearts.