by a wall of round mirrors. The tables display a variety of evocative figurines: tiny llamas, potted miniature cactuses and an army of ekekos, good-luck amulets that look like toy representations of Clark Gable — if he wore traditional Andean costumes and colorful wool hats.
“We create objects with identity,” said Mr. Tezanos Pinto, looking dapper in a cashmere scarf and red sneakers. “Latin America has always looked to the outside; we are convinced that a lot can be achieved by looking at what’s here in the north of Argentina.”
Another Usos collaboration is Casa Colorada, a secluded retreat floating above the clouds on a 10,000-foot-high plateau surrounded by mountain peaks. The path that leads there — the Camino a la Garganta del Diablo, or the Road to the Devil’s Gorge — begins at Tilcara, a small town of adobe constructions with a bustling central plaza where Indian vendors sell their crafts by day and street musicians play their charangos (small guitars) by night.
Less than a mile into the journey, the road begins to live up to its name: this steep and curvy path along the edge of a cliff is not for the faint of heart. If a passenger finds the will to relax, the 40-minute ride is spectacular, passing through massive sandstone quarries, a reserve of giant cacti called cardones, ancient farming terraces and, finally, a sprawling stone-walled ranch with red roofs.
The living area of this 10-room estate, decorated with ample white sofas and throw pillows in purple shades — a palette often seen in Indian clothing — looks out into a serene horizon of pale green ranges. Guests can book treks or horseback rides of varying difficulty, some along steep mountain trails, and others along streams and