Explore Guatemala’s craftsmanship & contemporary design with Nada Duele
Introducing Deep Dive, our latest content series where we ask creative women about their areas of expertise in the destinations that they know best. Come along for the ride as we dive deep into the world’s most exciting destinations through music, food, fashion, design, and more.
This Deep Dive is part of a collaborative series with White Label Project, a digital concept store and community platform for the most exciting female-led impact brands in fashion and design from around the globe. In the first of the series we meet the founder of Nada Duele, a partner brand of White Label Project.
Giselle Macdonald is the Founder and Creative Director of Nada Duele, a Guatemalan purpose-led lifestyle brand focusing on sustainable home goods and accessories. Based between Guatemala City and Antigua, she works collaboratively with master artisans across Guatemala to create unique, functional and long-lasting objects, ensuring craft preservation and job creation in the region. We caught up with her to find out more about the work she’s doing and what makes Guatemala such an inspiring destination for design.
We would love to hear more about your work and what you do.
I founded Nada Duele in 2019 to create unique and sustainable pieces combining the essence of Guatemalan craftsmanship and contemporary design. Four years later, product and graphic designer Mariano Orellana joined the team as my creative partner. We believe in manufacturing beautiful, ethically made products that don’t cause any harm to anyone or anything during and after their creation process, hence the name Nada Duele (in Spanish, “nothing hurts”).
Esto no me hace daño a mi. - This will not hurt me.
Esto no le hace daño al medio ambiente. - This will not hurt the environment.
Esto no le hace daño a nadie. - This will not hurt anyone.
Nada Duele.
We always abide by this principle when making decisions and producing and distributing our products. Does this hurt me? Does this harm the environment? Does this hurt the artisan who makes it or the consumer who buys it in any way? If the answer is "Yes" to any of these questions, it’s not done. As simple as that.
Nada Duele store at Luna Zorro Studio
Guatemala is renowned for its rich textile traditions. How has that fed into your brand?
The artistry and craftsmanship displayed in Guatemalan textiles, particularly those woven from cotton and local lambswool, are a testament to the skilled hands and creative spirit of the artisans. Nada Duele was actually born out of my love for Guatemalan lambswool products that I’d seen in the markets since I was a little kid. I’ve always been obsessed by the lambswool rugs handwoven in Momostenango and have such a deep admiration for the artisans and their craft, so when the time came to create my brand, I was intrigued by the idea of combining that intricate traditional craft that has always fascinated me with contemporary design. Thus, Nada Duele was born and our first product was a lambswool rug, one of our Doodle Rugs in fact.
Another big inspiration for Nada Duele was Guatemala's use of natural dyes, which add so much depth and authenticity to the vibrant colors seen in our rugs and pillows. Artisans in Guatemala have really mastered the art of extracting dyes from locally sourced plants, fruits, and insects. Indigo, cochineal insects, avocado seeds and various plant materials are among the diverse sources, creating a beautiful palette that reflects the country's lush environment. This commitment to natural dyes not only preserves ancient techniques but also promotes sustainable practices, aligning the art of Guatemalan textiles with the beauty of its natural surroundings.
Shop Nada Duele rugs and more in the Antigua store or online with WhiteLabel Project
What do you think makes Antigua and/or Guatemala City such a great place for design?
Guatemala City and Antigua make a great place for culture and design due to not only the rich Mayan culture and the amazing craftsmanship found here but also due to this recent fusion of traditional Mayan techniques and contemporary design. For a while, Guatemala found itself somewhat entrenched in traditional artistic and creative practices. Artisans don’t usually go out of their artistic comfort zone and explore new design trends, which has been a challenge for us but also a beautiful process. Over the past decade though, as Guatemala has undergone significant modernization, it has developed and evolved artistically, witnessing a huge boom in design, art and culture generally marked by the emergence of numerous design studios, independent designers, photographers, artists, creative projects, galleries, collectively contributing to a burgeoning creative landscape. This merge has been and is a wonderful thing to witness and be a part of as it has developed.
Are there any emerging trends that you’re noticing in the local creative scene?
This fusion of traditional Mayan craftsmanship and contemporary design is a big one, along with sustainable and conscious design. There’s a lovely community of sustainable design projects that work collaboratively with artisans that inspire and energize us, such as Luna Zorro, Itza Wood, Wakami, Estudio Cálido, to name only a few.
Where do you like to go for inspiration?
I’m very lucky to live in Antigua given that this city is a huge inspiration already. We love to go anywhere we can find and interact with makers/craftsmen such as the local markets or to colorful and vibrant towns such as Atitlán and Chichicastenango. Outside of Guatemala, Ciudad de Mexico is always a big inspiration.
While we’re talking about creativity/inspiration, I’d like to include a bit of my philosophy, which is that there are lots of different ways to be loving, humane and sustainable, and that’s where our creativity comes into play and we get to figure that out and find our own path. We, as humans, as natural organisms, don’t have a prescription. People discover their path, their purpose, from within themselves—what it is they want to do, how they want to serve life in creative and joyful ways. Does a tree know how to grow? No, it doesn't have a master plan. It just grows. We need to trust our intuition, our imagination and creativity a whole lot more than we do.
What boutiques should we visit when we’re visiting Antigua and/or Guatemala City to experience local crafts and designs?
Our store in Antigua which we share with Luna Zorro located in a 150-year-old coffee farm is a gorgeous space to visit. In Antigua, there's also Wakami, Indigo, Hilosophy and Estudio Gascón. In the city, I would recommend Las Dalias, Cacao Boots, Noble Concept Store and Río Concept Store.
Let us in on your favorite hidden gems.
Alright I’m gonna give you all my secrets! But first, I’d like to say that Guatemala is in itself a hidden gem; I’ve heard so many people tell me that over the years. It’s a very special vibrant place with a very unique energy and vibe, and I encourage anyone who wants to experience bright colors, different smells, fierce flavors, jaw-dropping views, and warm and kind people, to get their butts here; it’ll change their lives.
In Antigua, I love:
Barriga Llena for casual snacks (their dumplings are amazing)
Café Alegría for coffee
In Guatemala City, I love:
Find the rest of Giselle’s Guatemala City and Antigua recs in the ECT Clubhouse, which includes “a good ol’ dive bar,” spots for natural wines, a cocktail bar, her favorite hiking spot, a hidden gem that’s an “absolute must,” and much more.