Once upon a time, 8 magical years ago, in an exhilarating city called Los Angeles, two ladies crossed paths for the very first time. On Teresa's first day working for an energy drink company, Melani struck up a conversation and they connected over so many shared passions. Little did they know, it was the start to a life long friendship. With Teresa born and raised in the rocky mountains of Colorado, and Melani hailing from the urban jungle of Los Angeles, their experiences in life so far created one hell of a dynamic friendship together. Over the next few years their friendship blossomed over rock climbing, jackfruit nachos, and their passion to travel in search of stories.

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Flash forward to the fall of 2017, Teresa and her fiance moved to Europe for a work opportunity. During a break, they decided to take a trip to SouthEast Asia. The moment they stepped foot on the island of Bali, Teresa felt at home immediately. With her mother originating from the Philippines, the hues of green, dragon fruit pink, and yellow felt all too familiar to her. The vibrations of the island and its gentle people resonated with her spirit.  

 

One day, after an afternoon feeding baby monkeys at the Monkey Forest, the glint of Balinese textiles caught Teresa's attention.  She was led into a store full of vibrant batik dresses made of the softest fabrics. They were made out of a biodegradable fabric called rayon. It was love at first sight. She chatted with the store owner, a lovely woman named Ketut, who cradled her precious second born baby, Kenzi, in her arms. It was a family business that exuded so much love, it was named after their first born son. Learning more about their craft, Teresa felt a spark of inspiration: to partner with them and share these textiles with the world. She shook their hands, called up Melani, and as Melani always has, she jumped onboard for a new adventure together!

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Later that week, Teresa journeyed to the Canggu Market. With a stroke of luck, she stumbled upon a local non-profit called Bali Street Mums Project. She learned the center was working hard to get homeless women and children off the streets, a growing issue on the island. Through a wide range of arts and handicrafts, they empower these women to learn a set of skills that can eventually earn them an income.  The women are able work and come and go as they please, while their children are educated and fed. Feeling so moved by this amazing non-profit, a lightbulb went off in Teresa's head - to build a brand around giving back to this organization and others empowering silent struggles.

 

Since their first collection, Lovely In Bali, Teresa and Melani aim to create festive pieces from around the world that tell stories, sustain and empower. Empower local artisans. Empower their cause. And more importantly, empower you. They've learned that though we're all on separate journeys, our stories are all interwoven. They hope the power of cloth can bring us all a little closer, one stitch at a time.

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