PARIS, France – Madame Avant Moi – The madame before me. Across generations, women pass down more than traditions; they pass down stories. We carry traces of the joys and struggles of those who came before us in our gestures, the nuances of our speech, the way we wear our hair, and even in the choices we make.
This idea lies at the heart of the new chapter of KOUA Mexico. Founded by Erika Alvarez, the brand is an exercise in storytelling: a fashion atelier rooted in Mexican heritage, ancestral memory, and contemporary identity. As KOUA Mexico celebrates its 10th anniversary–as well as a year honoring the cultural relationship between Mexico and France–the brand opens the doors to its first Parisian gallery-boutique, located just steps away from Trocadéro in Paris’s 16th arrondissement.
The launch of KOUA Mexico celebrated on June 19th coincides with the debut of its new capsule collection Madame Avant Moi, which explores memory and the invisible threads that connect women across generations. The collection honors the legacy of those who paved the way for the freedoms many women experience today.
“Madame Avant Moi is dedicated to my two grandmothers, and to all the women who came before us–women who lived their lives with limitations, fewer rights, fewer opportunities, and very little space to fully become themselves. This collection is both a tribute and a conscious decision not to repeat the same story. It is my way of honouring them, breaking inherited limitations, and thanking them for the strength and resilience I carry because of them,” Alvarez shares.
The collection features standout pieces including the Josefa Set, composed of organza trousers with embroidered textile appliqué and a structured corset top, the Nid Top and Rabona Skirt, and the Madame Avant Moi Dress. Crafted using traditional Mexican textiles and artisanal techniques, the garments bring together contemporary silhouettes and generations of craftsmanship. Throughout the collection, KOUA Mexico seeks to preserve cultural knowledge while creating pieces that connect heritage with modern femininity.
Many of the garments feature textiles woven on traditional backstrap looms and embroidered by artisans in communities such as Zinacantán, Chiapas, and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, Oaxaca. In a commitment to transparency and recognition, select pieces include QR codes that allow wearers to learn more about the artisans behind the textiles and techniques used in their creation.
Beyond aesthetics, the collection carries a broader social mission. By collaborating with artisan communities across Mexico, the brand supports the preservation of ancestral craftsmanship and the economic empowerment of women.
“By using textiles from different communities in Mexico, my mission is to contribute to closing the gender equity gap, to support the transmission of ancestral knowledge from generation to generation, and to bring more transparency to the way garments are created,” Alvarez adds.
To mark the launch, guests were invited to discover the collection through an immersive evening celebrating Mexican culture. The experience included a specially curated culinary journey by Mexican chef Dalia G. Palacios, who created a bespoke menu inspired by a voyage through Mexico, as well as a live violin performance by Marta Sierra. The gallery-boutique also hosted the opening of a ten-day exhibition featuring the work of Mexican artist Juana Sabina.
This exhibition signals the beginning of KOUA Mexico’s vision for the space: not only as a boutique, but as a cultural destination. Throughout the year, the gallery-boutique will host workshops, talks, and community events centered on fashion, women’s empowerment, Mexican textiles, traditional techniques, craftsmanship, cultural preservation, and other topics that foster dialogue between Mexico and France.
SOURCE: MEDIA RELEASE / SUPPLIED CONTENT WITH IMAGES
