Lessons in Latin American Style from Mexican Jet-Setter Lea Marcaccini

A lot can happen when you put down your phone. In the case of Lea Marcaccini, a vacation in Spain spent sketching instead of swiping unlocked an inner universe. “The meditative relaxation of drawing gave me a sense of mental freedom,” says the 23-year-old, who went on to found Making Art & Breaking Hearts, a digital showcase for her psychedelic, mystical, and feminine collages and drawings.

In her “Lunar” series she depicts herself, often in the nude, in intergalactic landscapes; her inspiration, she says, stems from her interest “in spirituality, the cosmos, and female energy.”

Perhaps Marcaccini’s sui generis aesthetic is also a by-product of her childhood in Cuixmala, Mexico, a spot that’s known colloquially as Costalegre, or the “happy coast.” Raised on the strip of Pacific coast jungle that once belonged to her maternal grandfather, the French-British tycoon Sir James Goldsmith, she grew up watching horses roam freely and sea-turtle eggs hatch on the beach.

Her parents transformed the land into a nature reserve that currently boasts a working farm; And Goldsmith’s palatial house was converted into an intimate, exclusive eco-resort called Casa Cuixmala that has catered to everyone from Madonna and Mick ­Jagger to Latin America’s elite jet-setters.

“It was surreal being there, seeing nature thrive,” says Marcaccini, who is now based in Los Angeles. “I travel to a lot of places, but it’s through Cuixmala that I’ve been able to ­flourish.”

At Cuixmala, she embraces not just clean living, but minimalist, comfortable design, from Ulla Johnson’s Latin-inspired dresses to breezy Isabel Marant skirts. In her style guide, Marcaccini offers some lessons in Latin American jet set chic.

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