The selection of the bag speaks a lot about the person. It implies the utility, comfort and taste of the client. Having one customized for our tastes, rather than choosing a ready-made product, is the ideal. This is precisely the modus operandi of Marajai and Yaimara Muñoz Mata's brands.
This Cuban designer, born on the Isle of Youth, is already well known, both for her work as a shoemaker and for her handbag design. She comes from a family dedicated to designing and producing footwear. But it was not until she arrived in Spain that she began making room for shoemaking in her life.
After being hired by a studio of the level of Manolo Blahnik, she studied to gain the technical knowledge to accompany her ideas and went through the best academies in Italy. In 2009 she launched her first brand, Bymara Shoes, dedicated to footwear.
Handbag design came to Yaimara when she was hired as a store manager to manage the manufacture and production of Carolina Herrera handbags. She felt nourished by this new world and in 2016 Marajai, her second brand dedicated to these accessories, was born.
Marajai works according to the client's wishes, taking into account the colors or details that they wish to vary, starting from the original design. The brand makes the most of every last scrap of material, which makes the pieces unique, as there are details made with leftovers available at the time. They work in capsule collections, and with the best materials, but respecting the environmental cycle and the slow fashion concept. "Our philosophy is not to have compulsive sales, but to sell to a public that appreciates the craftsmanship that goes into the product," she told us in an interview with the CubaPlus team.
The DNA collection, launched for the spring-summer season, is inspired by the designer's time in New York, but retains its Cuban roots. This is proof of her ability to find inspiration in even the greyest elements and embellish them. "I try to give soul to each of my pieces," she said of her creative process. This collection was presented in 2022 at New York Fashion Week, where Yaimara was selected as one of the best accessory designers.
She has recently launched a new brand, Marabú, which will have 100% Cuban production.
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