Recently released by Birmingham editor-turned-designer Zoë Gowen is a lavish candle collection stemming from visits to Mexico’s Teotitlán del Valle. Each product from Gowen’s El Shoppo, unveiled in spring 2023, conjures the color and festivity of this vibrant community—ranging from woven recycled-plastic totes to embroidered tunics and, soon, tabletop textiles.
To fashion her Flower Candles, Gowen works directly with generational artisans to adapt a centuries-old indigenous handicraft. Made of sun-bleached beeswax frequently colored with natural dyes, her customized versions brandish showy dahlias, roses and bell flowers. Packing a punch at 36 inches tall, each pillar comes with an original piece of Oaxacan pottery: an artisan-made ceramic holder in traditional glazed or burnished black terra cotta.
Sourcing through her ongoing pop-ups or website, Gowen’s customers clamor for them as dining centerpieces, entryway tableaux and art accompaniments alike.
