The Woven Wall

FOR ANA PAU NORIEGA, founder of Kreyé, textiles are more than raw materials—they are a means for storytelling. In her Mexico City Studio, her wall hangings are tactile narratives inspired from a deep respect for ancestral technique and living traditions. Launched in 2019, Kreyé has grown from a one-woman studio into a recognized brand operating at the intersection of fine art and interior design. With six team members, the brand has gained traction through word of mouth and curated partnerships. Collaborations with designers and architects have played a key role in expanding the brand’s reach, while limited collections have allowed for small-batch scalability without compromising craftsmanship.

Today, Kreyé walks the line between the collectible and the commercial, creating a quiet revolution, prioritizing slowness, authenticity, and connection in a fast-moving world. The journey of each piece begins with what Noriega calls the “soul”—a spark of inspiration, often rooted from conversation. That may come from a talk with a master artisan, like Don Agapito, who taught her the intricate workings of the pedal loom, or from a simple object infused with meaning, such as the capote de palma, a palm-woven raincoat. “It’s an art,” she says. “I started to see the fibers in a more unique way, as vessels of cultural heritage and stories about memories.”

From there Noriega moves into design. “There’s three stages,” she explains. Soul, body, life. First the inspiration, then the sketching and, finally her work emerges on the loom. Fiber choice is never incidental. In her Raices collection, Noriega uses plant based materials like sanseviería and henequén, chosen not only for their physical strength, but strong presence. Their rawness is honored through precise, symmetrical compositions that let texture and tone speak for themselves. “I wanted fibers that could really shine with a very balanced and predictable design,” she says, “I look at the fibers I used in each piece as the vocabulary I want to use for the whole narrative.”

When asked whether she sees Kreyé and herself as a fine artist or a brand, Noriega doesn’t hesitate: both. “Some works are meant to be told once,” she says, “but others, like Raices, can be recreated without losing its purpose or soul.” Being a Mexican artist, she says, is central to it all. “I hope that people feel the purpose behind each piece and I hope that they can work as a window to see a bigger world. They’re not just a piece to decorate a wall, but are stories which can be seen as whispers in a single fiber and a celebration of Mexican heritage.”

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