La Embajada Shop

11/07/2026

“Every translation, up to a certain point, is an invention.”
— OCTAVIO PAZ

In Oaxaca, almost anything can be woven.

A pencil drawing, a painting, an abandoned billboard, a field of corn, or the shadow of a tree.

None of these began as a rug. Translating them into wool requires rethinking their lines, proportions, textures, and subtle variations.

These are contemporary designs made possible by the extraordinary technical knowledge of Oaxaca’s weavers. The result is not simply a reproduction of the original, but a new work in its own right.

Here are five examples of that process.

EVA HESSE —

Years ago, I saw a pencil drawing by Eva Hesse at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art that has stayed with me ever since. Her concentric circles, drawn with an almost obsessive precision, became the starting point for this rug.

What appears relatively simple on paper becomes extraordinarily demanding on the loom. Each circle must be built line by line, preserving the subtle irregularities and variations that give the original drawing its character.

EVA HESSE —

Years ago, I saw a pencil drawing by Eva Hesse at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art that has stayed with me ever since. Her concentric circles, drawn with an almost obsessive precision, became the starting point for this rug.

What appears relatively simple on paper becomes extraordinarily demanding on the loom. Each circle must be built line by line, preserving the subtle irregularities and variations that give the original drawing its character.

**ROTHKO — **
A visit to the Rothko Chapel in Houston inspired an ongoing exploration of how to achieve the almost imperceptible shifts of color found in Mark Rothko’s paintings.
Moving from deep crimson through burgundy and into near-black requires an extraordinary number of subtle adjustments in the woven surface. This is the third version of this rug, and the first in which we feel we have fully achieved the depth and softness we were looking for.

**ROTHKO — **
A visit to the Rothko Chapel in Houston inspired an ongoing exploration of how to achieve the almost imperceptible shifts of color found in Mark Rothko’s paintings.
Moving from deep crimson through

10/29/2026

10/29/2026

IN OAXACA, COLOR IS NOT SIMPLY CHOSEN. IT IS DEVELOPED.

How many colors can you make from a single insect?
Quite a few, as it turns out.

In Oaxaca, cochineal can produce everything from delicate pinks to intense crimsons, burgundies, and purples. The secret lies in the chemistry. Changes in acidity, different mordants, and the preparation of the wool can produce dramatically different results.

Indigo is another story altogether. Its extraordinary range of blues develops through repeated immersions, with the color emerging as the fibers are exposed to air.

Then there is pericón, a flowering plant that produces beautiful yellows and golden tones.

But color does not always require dye. Some of our favorite rugs use only the natural colors of sheep wool, from ivory to gray and black.

Our design team in Oaxaca has even experimented with extracting color from corn, beans, and squash, the three crops at the heart of the Mexican milpa.

AND COLOR IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

10/20/2026

No. 02 — DEYANIRA AQUINO PINEDA: LA TECA

If you live in Oaxaca, you eat at La Teca. It is practically a rite of passage.

But eating at La Teca is much more than going to a restaurant. You walk through her garage, past her kitchen, through her living room, and into her patio. When it rains, the tables move back inside. And sooner or later, La Teca herself comes out to sit with you, usually with a glass of mezcal from Amatengo.

Deyanira Aquino Pineda, known to everyone as La Teca, has spent decades preserving the culinary traditions of Oaxaca’s Isthmus of Tehuantepec. Her restaurant celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024.

Over the past twenty-five years, I have eaten there more times than I can count. It remains one of my favorite places in Oaxaca. The food is extraordinary, but La Teca herself is a force of nature.

So much so that in 2012, when I was asked to take writer Calvin Trillin to my favorite restaurant in Oaxaca for a story in The New Yorker, there was really only one choice.

At some point during lunch, Calvin asked how often I ate there.

“Once or twice a week,” I replied.

“If you only eat here twice a week, you show incredible restraint,” he said.

I could not have put it better myself.

When you come Oaxaca, come to Restaurante La Teca

10/15/2026

OAXACANS YOU SHOULD KNOW
No. 01 | ENRIQUE LEYVA

Born in Oaxaca, photographer Enrique Leyva is part of a new generation redefining how Mexican beauty, identity, and culture are represented in contemporary fashion.

His striking photography has appeared in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, The New York Times, and other international publications. Drawing on Indigenous heritage and the visual richness of Oaxaca, his work challenges conventional beauty standards, bringing faces, identities, and perspectives historically overlooked by the fashion industry into the spotlight.

And that is why his work matters. It is not simply about creating beautiful images, but about changing who gets to define beauty.

I must confess that I have yet to meet Enrique, although he has photographed ExhaciendaGuadalupeOax and Casa Arrona Oaxaca , two of my favorite projects in Oaxaca. His work is inspiring and truly revolutionary in the way it challenges our perceptions of beauty and fashion.

If you are not following Enrique Leyva , you should be.

10/10/2026

Our BLACK CLAY

Oaxacan black clay is not naturally black. Its distinctive color emerges through an oxygen-restricted firing process, transforming earth into deep charcoal and black tones. Rooted in pre-Hispanic traditions, barro negro ranges from raw, stone-like textures to softly polished surfaces.

At La Embajada, our collection explores this remarkable material through two approaches: interpretations of Oaxaca itself—mezcal, amphorae, veladoras, agave leaves, and bisnaga cacti—and collaborations with celebrated Mexican chefs.

With Alejandro Ruiz, we created the Tripié salsa bowl. With Elena Reygadas of Rosetta, a single fish plate evolved into the Elena collection of sculptural pitchers, platters, and serving pieces.

Made entirely by hand, these objects are designed for serving, never cooking. They require gentle handwashing, a small ritual that honors the craftsmanship and keeps its beauty alive.

Discover our Black Clay collection in our homewares link in bio.

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BARRO NEGRO | TIERRA, FUEGO Y FORMA

El barro negro de Oaxaca no es negro por naturaleza. Su color surge durante una cocción con oxígeno restringido, que transforma la tierra en profundos tonos de carbón y negro. Con raíces prehispánicas, sus superficies van de texturas pétreas y naturales a acabados suavemente pulidos.

En La Embajada exploramos este extraordinario material desde dos perspectivas: interpretaciones de Oaxaca —mezcal, ánforas, veladoras, hojas de agave y biznagas— y colaboraciones con reconocidos chefs mexicanos.

Con Alejandro Ruiz creamos el salsero Tripié. Con Elena Reygadas, de Rosetta, un primer plato para pescado dio origen a la colección Elena, que incluye jarras, platones y piezas escultóricas para servir.

Hechas completamente a mano, estas piezas están concebidas para servir, nunca para cocinar. Requieren lavarse a mano, un pequeño ritual que honra el oficio y mantiene viva su belleza.

Descubre nuestra colección de Barro Negro en homewares link in bio.

09/20/2026

THE OAXACA BAR

Thank you VERANDA Magazine for including us in your 5 Dining Room Trends for 2026, with this photograph of Ex-Hacienda Guadalupe by José Margaleff. Apparently, the bar moment is having a moment.

At the Hacienda we have not one, not two, not three, but five bars. They range from a tray with some of the best mezcal we produce to a full mixing bar in the kitchen.

This particular one sits just off the dining room. Before dinner, it is where guests gather around the host for cocktails. Once dinner begins, it becomes the w**e station.

I love mixology. It shows.

Come to La Embajada and explore our glassware, barware and all the things that make a table, and the evening around it, truly special.

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EL BAR OAXAQUEÑO

Gracias a VERANDA por incluirnos en sus 5 tendencias para comedores en 2026, con esta fotografía de la Ex-Hacienda Guadalupe de José Margaleff. Al parecer, el bar está teniendo su momento.

En la Hacienda tenemos no uno, ni dos, ni tres, sino cinco bares. Van desde una charola con algunos de los mejores mezcales que producimos hasta un bar completo para preparar cocteles en la cocina.

Este en particular está justo junto al comedor. Antes de cenar, es el lugar donde los invitados se reúnen alrededor del anfitrión para tomar algo. Ya durante la cena, se convierte en la estación de vinos.

Me encanta la mixología. Se nota.

Ven a La Embajada y descubre nuestra colección de cristalería, barware y todos esos complementos que hacen que una mesa, y la noche alrededor de ella, se sientan realmente especiales.

09/04/2026

Agreed. I’d make it more plainspoken:

Clay is one of the defining traditions of Oaxaca, and there is an incredible range of it.
For the last decade, we have worked with artisans across the state. From one place to the next, the earth changes, and with it the clay, the firing, the forms and the way the objects are used.

This fall, I wanted to bring as many of those different clays together as possible, so you could see them side by side, compare them, use them, and hopefully love them as much as I do.

All at the store and online!
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El barro es una de las tradiciones que definen a Oaxaca, y la variedad es enorme.

Durante la última década hemos trabajado con artesanos por todo el estado. De un lugar a otro cambia la tierra, y con ella cambian el barro, la quema, las formas y la manera en que se usan los objetos.

Este otoño quise reunir la mayor cantidad posible de esos barros distintos, para que pudieran verlos juntos, compararlos, usarlos y, con suerte, quererlos tanto como yo.

Ya están todos aquí, en La Embajada y en línea.
📷 Diego Benitez M

08/22/2026

Far from finished, the Hacienda is still a work in progress, and the Land Rover now has a Jeep cousin that takes us all over Mexico, safely away from shady mechanics.

Oax-i-fornia has become a little workhorse, still collaborating with artisans, chefs and designers in Mexico and abroad. What began as an experiment 21 years ago now keeps a team of 12 in Oaxaca and many artisan families throughout Mexico very busy.

And La Embajada is now a reality.

This fall, we celebrate Oaxaca here, with many of the handmade pieces that helped define Oax-i-fornia, alongside new collaborations, market finds and vintage Oaxacan craft.

For the next few months, Oaxaca takes over.

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Lejos de estar terminada, la Hacienda sigue siendo un proyecto en proceso, y la Land Rover ahora tiene una prima Jeep que nos lleva por todo México, bien lejos de mecánicos sospechosos.

Oax-i-fornia se ha convertido en un pequeño caballito de batalla, colaborando todavía con artesanos, chefs y diseñadores en México y fuera del país. Lo que comenzó como un experimento hace 21 años hoy mantiene muy ocupados a un equipo de 12 personas en Oaxaca y a muchas familias artesanas en todo México.

Y La Embajada hoy es una realidad.

Este otoño celebramos Oaxaca aquí, con muchas de las piezas hechas a mano que ayudaron a definir Oax-i-fornia, junto con nuevas colaboraciones, hallazgos de mercado y piezas vintage de artesanía oaxaqueña.

Durante los próximos meses, Oaxaca se apodera de La Embajada.