My name is Mauro Darío Pesoa. I was born on June 26th, 1993, in the city of Rosario in the Santa Fe province of Argentina. I grew up surrounded by my family: my sister Cecilia, my mother Mónica Navarro, an expert wicker tradeswoman, and my father Darío Pesoa, an electronic technician.

I can clearly remember the first years of my life in Rosario. Every morning I dove into the magical world of the wickerwork my grandfather Pocho did. There, amongst the warm smell of the malacca cane burning in the fire and the texture of the wicker freshly extracted from the wet pools, I discovered a world of endless creative possibilities. Even though I was only a child, I got carried away by my imagination and began creating little dolls from the wicker rods and experimenting with different weaving methods, although it was very difficult at first. Those moments are the real treasures of my childhood and even now, I safekeep in my memory the magic and excitement they awoke in me.

Life, however, takes us down unexpected paths and due to the economic crisis that struck Argentina in 2001, our family was forced to leave Rosario in search of new opportunities in Formosa, the town in which my paternal grandmother was born.

I remember the first moments in Formosa were hard for us all. We were a very humble family and would often find ourselves short of our basic necessities. However, thanks to the great effort and hard work from my parents, we managed to get by.

Every stone and brick of our new home was a tangible testimony to our joint effort, and those times of construction became symbolic of our roots and the importance of staying true to ourselves and our nature.

My father, with his relentless spirit and his love of electronics, would find temporary jobs to sustain us. He never stopped proving his abilities and versatility, always willing to do whatever it took to take care of us.

My mother, the heiress of the noble trade of wickerwork, would patiently and skillfully craft bags, handbags, furniture and even small chairs using the little resources we had. Each one of her creations was imbued with love and dedication, and thanks to her talent we could access little luxuries such as special little desserts, fresh fruits and special moments on important dates. Even though things weren’t perfect, as children we relied on our imagination and recreational resources to get us by. Over time, we reunited with Alejandro, my older brother. A true rebel with a heart of gold.

We three siblings supported each other and contributed to the growth of our family. I continued to be fascinated by my mother’s skills, observing, wonderstruck, how her hands would weave life into such unique objects.

Time continued to pass mercilessly. During my adolescence, I still wasn’t sure what path to take. I always had an inclination towards the arts, drawing, and construction. I went to a technical college where I acquired knowledge in masonry, calculations, locksmithing, carpentry and electronics. During my teenage years, I also faced additional challenges such as bullying, a product of my sexual orientation and not fitting into imposed stereotypes.

However, amid the darkness I found the light in the shape of a few true friends who stuck by my side, providing their unconditional love and support. WiIth time, I learned to forgive and move on, aware that the bullying I faced was only a glimpse into the real world and people’s reactions to the unknown.

At 17, I decided to follow my passion and study fashion design. I returned to my hometown, Rosario and enrolled in the Instituto Privado Anrique in the French Alliance. Upon finishing my studies, I went back to Formosa and it was then that I realized I was not satisfied with only fabricating conventional party dresses.

In 2013, I began an exciting project alongside my mother in search of work we could do together. I had the idea to combine my mother’s trade with fashion.

We created our first collection and named it “Umbilical”. During four intense months, we exchanged knowledge and worked arduously to bring life to our new collection of clothing, shoes and bags. We chose the name “Umbilical” because it reflects the connection between mother and child and our own connections with the ancestral trade of wickerwork.

Timidly, but with unbreakable determination, we presented our first collection in a runway show in Formosa. Although people had a hard time grasping our vision and even called us crazy, we decided to challenge these conventions and participated in the prestigious competition “Slow Moda”, an event dedicated to sustainable fashion with participants from all over the country.

The excitement and gratitude we felt when we were amongst the five finalists is indescribable. Competing alongside brands I had always admired was a great honor and a sign that we were on the right track.

It was a great joy to win the contest, knowing that this victory would open many doors for us. We set up an exhibition of the winning garments at the Estevez Museum and after that, we created a new collection called "Umbilical Formosa" and had the honor of representing Argentina at the Milan Expo in Italy. Our creations were exhibited in Paris, Paraguay and other places in the world. Little by little, we grew and launched new collections such as "Natal", developed in collaboration with the INTI design incubator. "Madera Santa", selected in Puro Diseño, and "Bañado de estrellas", which was presented in New York. Each one was very well received and we began to sell in different parts of the country.

Through our pieces created with ancestral knowledge and charged with emotion, we tell stories that can be carried and shared.

Two years ago, during some especially hard times, I went through a crisis with my brand, but instead of giving up, I found strength and encouragement in colleagues and friends who gave me their unconditional support. Thanks to their advice, I realized that I could expand my business into new areas, such as décor, art, and teaching others the wicker technique. With enthusiasm and determination, I face new challenges every day. I am lucky to work on what I love and I always have the unwavering support of my mother, who gives me the necessary strength to keep going.

This autobiography is only a fragment of my life, but it encapsulates my journey of self-transcendence, creativity and commitment to sustainable fashion. As a designer, I will continue to fight for my dreams and to look for new ways of expressing my passion through art and design. My story is a reminder that with love, resilience and determinations, we can transform our adversities into opportunities and accomplish even our most extraordinary goals.

"Mauro Pesoa Diseño de Autor: Un legado de arte y tradición."