Álvaro M. Leiro

Basketweaver

From staw to leather

Álvaro has a passion for traditional crafts
He reinvented the basketry technique
Nostalgia inspires his work

Álvaro Martinez Leiro started basket weaving with a simple spiral basketry course. He became hooked, and began to research the technique to the point of questioning the entire creation process which he found too slow. Over the years, he has managed to create his own technique, optimising all the steps and materials and making it much more effective. Álvaro wishes to ensure traditional crafts thrive, to keep alive skills that are a part of our human identities, especially those that are at risk of disappearing. “We don’t know where we are going, but we know where we come from," he says. Álvaro has come a long way from creating at home for pleasure to collaborating with Loewe and seeing his products on a giant screen in Milan.

Interview

Why did you turn to basket making?: I turned to a traditional craft due to a sense of nostalgia. I was looking to save something that was in danger of disappearing. My path was not always planned, everything is a consequence of loving my work.
Do you prefer traditional or new techniques?: I have changed my whole way of working, maintaining the tradition but reinventing everything, perfecting the tools and methods to make them more effective. I have also adapted the technique to work with leather which was quite a challenge for me.
Are people surprised by your techniques?: What they find most incredible is when I start to prepare the material, they wouldn’t imagine that with bramble and straw you can make a basket. It is also surprising for people to see the “coroza”, which is an ancient vegetal rain shield for ranchers.
What is your advice to aspiring basket makers?: Be patient. Initially, it is better to take it as a hobby without setting goals and see how it goes. Sometimes we have unexpected talents that flourish when we relax and enjoy what we're doing.

Álvaro M. Leiro is a master artisan: he began his career in 2005 and he started teaching in 2012