The People Behind METIER
METIER was founded in 2009 by Diana Pazmino, Alessandro Benincasa and Hugo Gonzenbach. In 2016, Hugo chose to pursue a separate business venture, leaving Diana and Alessandro as the owners of METIER. Together, they have continued to develop the brand as a creative house rooted in Ecuadorian craftsmanship and open to the possibilities of natural materials, ancestral knowledge and contemporary design. Their paths are different, but their shared work is guided by a common belief: that exceptional craftsmanship can connect people, cultures and generations.
Diana Pazmiño Horra
Co-founder & Creative Director
A biologist with a master’s degree in conservation and natural resource management, Diana’s perspective is shaped by science, nature and an enduring curiosity about the relationship between people and their environment.
Born and raised in Ecuador until the age of seventeen, she later spent several years studying in the United States before returning to Ecuador and eventually moving to Wales for postgraduate studies at Swansea University.
Her scientific background informs her appreciation for natural materials and the intricate relationships between living systems, cultural traditions and human creativity. Through METIER, she has found a way to bring these interests together, using Ecuadorian craftsmanship as a foundation for a broader exploration of materials, techniques and artistic expression.
Japanese aesthetics and traditional practices are an enduring source of inspiration for Diana. From kintsugi, the art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, to boro and sashiko, traditions associated with the repair, reuse and stitching of textiles, she is drawn to the beauty of imperfection, the stories materials accumulate over time and the possibilities of giving objects another life. The philosophy of wabi-sabi resonates with her appreciation for the imperfect, the transient and the authentic.
These influences inform her commitment to circularity: an approach in which materials are valued rather than discarded, and remnants, vintage textiles and existing objects become starting points for new creations. Recycling and upcycling are not simply practical choices, but opportunities for discovery and reinvention.
Photography and poetry offer other ways for Diana to explore the world. Through the lens and the written word, she observes the details, patterns and fleeting moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. These practices share something with her approach to design: a desire to look more closely, find meaning in the unexpected and express what cannot always be explained.
At METIER, Diana brings these influences together in a creative practice that moves between nature, cultural heritage and contemporary design. Her work is guided by the belief that craftsmanship is not only a way of making objects, but also a way of seeing the world.
Alessandro Benincasa
CEO and Co-FOUNDER
Alessandro’s life has been shaped by the meeting of Italian and Ecuadorian cultures. His family moved from Milan to Montecristi, Ecuador, when he was a baby. Growing up in the Ecuadorian countryside gave him first-hand exposure to the communities, materials and traditions that would later become central to METIER.
His experience of life in these communities informed his understanding of the challenges facing traditional ways of living and the importance of creating opportunities for the people who carry ancestral knowledge forward.
With a background in customer service and business management, Alessandro brings an internationally minded perspective to METIER. Yet his relationship with the brand extends beyond its business development into a deeply personal and multidisciplinary artistic practice.
Writing, painting and material exploration are different expressions of his curiosity. His first book, Weaving Tomorrow, explores natural-fibre weaving techniques in the Dominican Republic, documenting the knowledge, materials and people behind a living tradition. Through this work, he extends METIER’s interest in craftsmanship beyond its Ecuadorian roots, exploring the cultural heritage and natural resources that shape other traditions of making.
Painting offers another way for Alessandro to investigate form, texture and composition. His exploration of hats on canvas brings the sculptural qualities of hatmaking into a different artistic context, allowing texture, material and gesture to become subjects in their own right.
Within METIER, this experimental sensibility also finds expression in his one-of-a-kind creations. Working with straw and other materials, he explores unconventional techniques, including the use of fire and smoke, to produce distinctive textures, tonal variations and individual finishes. These explorations reflect his willingness to move beyond established conventions and discover possibilities that emerge through experimentation.
For Alessandro, craftsmanship is never static. It is a body of knowledge that can be respected, explored and reinterpreted through the hands and imagination of each maker. His work brings together an appreciation for ancestral techniques and a desire to discover what else they might become.
A Shared Vision
Together, Diana and Alessandro are building on the foundations of METIER as a creative house rooted in Ecuadorian craftsmanship and open to inspiration from nature and the world’s diverse traditions of making.
Their approaches are complementary. Diana’s perspective moves between science, sustainability, Japanese aesthetics and the poetry of everyday details. Alessandro’s practice explores the expressive possibilities of writing, painting, material experimentation and the transformation of natural fibres.
Both are guided by a shared respect for the knowledge carried by artisans and the cultural significance of traditional craftsmanship. They see preservation and innovation not as opposing forces, but as parts of an ongoing dialogue between heritage and contemporary creativity.
For METIER, this means remaining deeply connected to Ecuador while continuing to explore new materials, techniques and ideas from around the world. It means creating with intention, allowing existing materials to find new purpose and bringing ancestral knowledge into conversation with the present.
Above all, it means recognising that the value of a handmade object extends beyond its appearance. It lives in the material, the knowledge, the hands and the imagination that bring it into being.