Margarita Mercantile’s hand-sewn dresses give back to community [Video]

HOUSTON, Texas — It’s Hispanic Heritage Month, and were celebrating history, culture and Houstonians who simply make our community better.

Margarita Mercantile is a collection of traditional Mexican dresses, clothing, handbags and accessories, all hand-crafted and hand-sewn. But it is also a business that gives back in big ways.

“We have opened our arms to give back to the community,” said Celina Villarreal, owner of Margarita Mercantile. “In Mexico, we support two orphanages, one in Oaxaca and one in Mexico City.”

Villarreal worked a corporate attorney in Houston before she decided to change gears and start a business that pays tribute to her cultural heritage. Growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, she learned embroidery from her mother, a tradition with a long history in multigenerational communities. She began working with artisans in five different Mexican states – Aguascalientes, Oaxaca, Yucatán, Michoacán, and Puebla – to create hand-embroidered clothing, a process that can take months …