This story is part of Glossy’s week-long look at the state of luxury, exploring what consumers and brands are deeming worthy of investment in 2024. To see all the stories in the series, click here.
With a total population of around 22.5 million, Mexico City, or CDMX, is one of the largest and fastest-growing cities in the world. Its lively culture, rich history and striking architecture have made it a popular destination, and the city’s growing luxury scene is also set to be a draw.
This year, restaurants like Pujol, Rosetta and Em earned their first Michelin stars as part of Mexico’s inaugural Michelin Guide. In addition, the city welcomed new luxury hotels and experiences, including the five-star Alexander Hotel Mexico City, which opened in July, and Soho House Mexico City, the members-only club’s first Latin America outpost.
What is more noticeable, however, is the emerging retail market. According to previous Glossy reporting, the region’s retail industry is expected to grow by around 9% annually over the next four years. Luxury, more specifically, is projected to generate a revenue of $3.17 billion in 2024. In the last two years, British footwear brand Kurt Geiger, French fashion house Zadig & Voltaire and French jewelry brand Van Cleef & Arpels have all opened stores in CDMX. Dior, meanwhile, opened its fifth store and first men’s shop-in-shop in the affluent Polanco neighborhood in April.
But the resulting influx of tourists and expats is a double-edged sword, some say. The increased foot traffic has stimulated the city’s economy, making some richer while inadvertently pushing others out. The complicated relationship between residents and visitors, however, hasn’t slowed the city’s luxury moment.
For a better read on the local luxury scene, Glossy spoke with Mexico City insider Nour Tayara, a former L’Oréal executive and founder of the 1-year-old luxury clean beauty brand Aora México.
“In [Mexico City], you’re now able to get next-level, trend-setting designs, beauty, dining — whatever you want. The direction of the world’s trends is no longer north-to-south; the North is now getting inspired by the South, and not solely just the other way around,” Tayara told Glossy.
Read on for his local recommendations.
For the ultimate dining experience…
“Sometimes, I wake up and go to Mercado Medellin when I eat a delicious breakfast at a counter of the market. I consider that luxury, but it’s luxury in a different way. It’s a luxury to be able to be served in less than four minutes while you’re in a bustling place where everyone is eating and the food is fresh.
Other times, I walk down to a new bakery called Odette. It’s, hands down, one of the best bakeries in the city right now. What’s also really cute for breakfast right now is called the Molino el Pujol. They make little quesadillas with massive green leaves inside. To me, luxury is also being able to look at something in a beautiful way, like how food is served.
For lunch, the nicest places to go in Mexico are fondas for a super quick, four-course meal. I like to go to Entremar — it’s for people who don’t want to wait. You get high-quality food without the craziness. There’s also Hugo, which is a really beautiful restaurant in Condesa that’s not far from Lardo.
My absolute favorite new restaurant in the city is called Sarde. It’s changing what a [fine-dining] experience is. Its service is impeccable. They have figured out lighting where every table has this gorgeous little spotlight — it’s spectacular. It’s the best food in the city right now.”
For a little retail therapy …
“Womenswear has some spectacular things happening in Mexico. You’ve got Lorena Saravia, who is an amazing designer in Mexico and is moving where clothing is going. Then there’s Francisco Cancino, who is also incredible. These are two really beautiful designers that are worth checking out.
For men, my favorite brand is Man Candy. I find it to be a brand that celebrates color and creates color. I think of luxury as noble materials and beautiful comfort, and I think that’s what Mexico [and these brands] bring to the scene.
Another one I really love is called Boyfriend Shirt. It’s a gender-neutral [brand], and it’s gorgeous. They now have a sister brand called Ex-Boyfriend.
But, when we want to talk about shopping, we have to talk about a couple of spots in the city that represent new kinds of shopping. One is in Condesa, around the Edificio Condesa. There’s a design store there called Mvndo Varon, and it’s by the designer Varon Jewelry. Our brand is also there, and they have a fantastic mix of designer brands from everywhere in the city. That area has a bunch of great stores that carry CDMX’s rising luxury brands.
The second shopping area to know is in Juarez on the corner of Abre and Marsella. That’s where you’ll find the new Xinú Boutique and Patricio Campillo, who just showed at New York Fashion Week [in September] and was one of the finalists in the LVMH Prize — the first Mexican designer to achieve that. Those two hubs are almost like the Meatpacking District 20 years ago when people moved from Soho and Fifth Avenue into this cute little block.”
For unique home designs …
“Azotea is a furniture duo that only works on a drop basis. Every month and a half, they do a drop, and it’s the most gorgeous pieces of furniture. They’re getting recognition from everywhere in the world. You’re not going to come on a cute weekend to Mexico City and carry back a couch with you, but it’s definitely worth visiting.”
For beauty and wellness …
“Of course, there’s Xinú — it’s a beautiful store. They are transporting you into a wonderful space of fragrance and imaginaries and memories. There’s also For All Folks, which is a cute boutique in Condesa that sells body care and has the best lube in the world.
There’s a place called Koti Wellness and they specialize in contrast therapy. You book an hour in this gorgeous little comfort oasis with a sauna and a cold plunge. You can go with your best friend or your lover or whoever you want, and you get to spend an hour away from the world, giving your body quite a spectacular treatment. There’s a pilates studio that, of course, has fantastic pilates [classes], but also the environment and the lighting and everything is gorgeous. It’s called The Good Studio.”
For the perfect accommodations …
“Ignacia Guest House is a beautiful guest house in Mexico City by the designer of the boutique Originario Originario. What’s nice is that Mexico City is also reinventing what a hotel room looks like. In a world where everything’s starting to look the same, it’s so refreshing to go to places where the color and design are from a very different point of view.”
For a luxurious getaway …
“The nicest thing to do when you’re in Mexico City is to grab a car or hire a driver and go to Tepoztlán, which is a Pueblo Magico. It has the most beautiful mountains and weather and is about an hour and a half to two hours south of the city. You go and check into a hotel called Amomoxtli — that is one of the most luxurious places I’ve been to in the world. Amomoxtli is a wonder.
It’s nestled under gorgeous orange mountains. These mountains are meant to be magic. It’s a town where magic mushrooms grow. It’s a town where you get there, and you feel something different. And the hotel service is impeccable. You wake up, and there’s a basket of fruits and pastries and tea and coffee at your door. That’s not even breakfast, it’s more of a welcome. There are sounds that ring to tell you that you can go do breath work on one side of the gardens or go pick fresh herbs from another side or do yoga. There’s also a spa that I would say offers some of the best spa services.
That is my happy place. When I need to get away, I don’t need to travel. That’s my vacation.”
