Macarena Osorio

Macarena Osorio was born in Chile, where she graduated as an Industrial Designer in 2011. From an early age, she was immersed in a creative environment, her mother handcrafted bags and experimented with diverse materials and mediums such as porcelain, crochet, and glass, among others. This upbringing shaped her understanding of the value of handmade work and sparked her curiosity for hands-on exploration, ultimately leading her to pursue a career in design. In 2012, she completed a diploma in clothing design in Santiago, Chile and in 2013, she launched her own brand, Ruwaki, named for a Chilean Indigenous word meaning “we work collaboratively; otherwise, we are nothing.”  

In 2014 she was invited by the Chamber of Leather and Footwear to represent Chile at the World Footwear Congress in León, Guanajuato, Mexico. In 2015, she joined the Board of Directors of FEDECCAL (the  Chamber of Leather, Footwear, and Accessories), where she led the Women’s Entrepreneurship sector. That same year, she completed a diploma in Marketing. 

Between 2015 and 2016, she represented Chile at international trade shows, showcasing her work as an emerging designer. In 2017 and 2018, she collaborated with the Instituto Nacional de la Juventud (INJUV), delivering workshops in schools across Santiago.  

In 2019, she sold her brand Ruwaki, following a family decision to relocate to Canada. During this time she joined the ACAI Newcomer Arts Professional Program, where she connected with other artists and creatives, reinforcing her commitment to her primary discipline of creating.