Lago

Lago is a small chain of shops in Mexico City that's gathered the finest Mexican and Latin American designers and craftspeople under one roof. Can't face trawling through dozens of brands and tracking down studios all over the city? Come here — they've done the legwork for you.

Lago genuinely calls itself "the temple of Mexican and Latin American design". Founded by Regina Barrios and Alessandro Cerruti, who run Mexico City's popular design markets, they curate like proper museums do: travelling the regions, meeting makers, watching them work, deciding who makes the cut.

Their standards are tough: handmade, rooted in tradition, fairly paid, culturally valuable. Nothing fake. Every piece has to be original and tell the story of both the craft and the person who made it.

Lago's mission? Preserve Latin America's artisan heritage and prove the region produces world-class contemporary design, not just folklore. So when you walk in — whether you're visiting or local — you know: no tourist tat here, just serious design. Which is why their flagship sits on Avenida Masaryk, Mexico City's poshest shopping street, right alongside the luxury international names.

Beyond the flagship, there are two more Mexico City locations: one in Juárez, where independent designers, galleries and creative studios draw locals hunting for something different, and another in Roma Norte, the trendy bohemian quarter full of cafés, art galleries and vintage shops where artists and creatives live. In Roma Norte, Lago shares its space with Metate, a shop selling work by Mexican potters, weavers, glassblowers...

What you'll find: men's and women's clothing, jewellery, ceramics, home textiles, furniture, hats, bags, decorative objects. Prices range from $25 ceramic plates to designer dresses by Carla Fernández or Cynthia Buttenklepper, or jewellery by Romo Herrera or Ishi running into the hundreds.

Looking for somewhere to see a proper slice of Latin American design in one go? This is it. Staff speak English and know the story behind every piece.