CREATIVE DIRECTION & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Taller Maya
Taller Maya is a Mexican collective brand, made up by artisan social companies established in the Yucatan Peninsula, and a multidisciplinary creative team that works for the promotion and development of the Mayan culture.
As a platform for social and economic development, Taller Maya works with these social companies to strengthen the current value chains and to generate sustainable sources of income for the rural Mayan communities of the Yucatan Peninsula, all of these through the creation and fair commercialization of artisanal pieces with historical and cultural value.
As Design Director, Joel Escalona was responsible for leading all creative efforts, developing design concepts and strategies, and serving as the primary design contact for clients and stakeholders.
He played a key role in customer acquisition and business development, establishing strong relationships with existing and new clients. He also developed an e-commerce platform with over 1,000 products and provided creative direction to the internal design team, promoting an interdisciplinary design approach. Joel worked closely with leadership to define the company's product direction to ensure design consistency.
In the course of one year, he successfully developed the structure of the creative team and designed 100 new products with 200 artisans. Joel managed all aspects of design from concept to production and procurement, including overseeing project photography and artistic direction for various collections.
