What occupation does Mamá Imelda have in Pixar’s Coco?

Mamá Imelda is a shoemaker in Pixar’s Coco.

The film explains that Imelda began making shoes after her husband left the family to pursue music and never returned. Her shoemaking work became the foundation of the Rivera family business and shaped later generations. By the time Miguel’s story begins, the family is strongly associated with making and repairing shoes in Santa Cecilia.

Imelda’s occupation is important because it connects the family’s history to its opposition to music. She does not simply dislike music without explanation; she believes music caused the abandonment that changed her life and her daughter’s future. Her descendants inherit this rule, although Miguel secretly wants to become a musician.

The family’s shoemaking is also a visual and cultural detail throughout Coco. Miguel’s relatives work together in the shop, while the family’s handmade footwear reflects a trade passed through generations. The occupation should not be confused with Imelda’s role as a singer in the Land of the Dead, where she eventually performs during the story.