our story
CEREMONIA was inspired by travel, nature, and the act of ceremony—when entire villages shut down so that Balinese families and communities can come together to celebrate milestones, give gratitude, clear stagnant energy, and pray for blessings. Ceremonies are an illustrious celebration where everyone dresses in traditional garments, and local villages gather to bring their offerings to the temple in procession. CEREMONIA means ceremony in Spanish.
It all started when I quit my job in 2014 to pursue my dreams of travel, uncertain of where I would end up, but excited for an adventure. I had long envisioned starting a business that would have a positive social impact, and hoped this journey would lead me there.
I spent several months traveling through Southeast Asia. One of my final stops was Bali, where I planned to spend 2 weeks. Due to a silly "mistake" and a mystical island magnetism, I stayed a month which gave me a good introduction to the culture, time to learn to ride a motorbike to explore various parts of the island, attend artisanal workshops, and make meaningful connections with many local families.
I felt inspired by the nature-centric way of life, abundance of natural resources, creativity and craftsmanship. At the end of my trip I purchased gifts to share with friends & family--seeing everyone’s enthusiasm for them made me realize that my stars had aligned: Bali was the birthplace for my dream business. My vision was to share a unique handcrafted and ethically-sourced collection of goods, while providing income opportunities for the local artisan families I had met.
After numerous return trips, in 2017 I found a home on the island and moved to pursue my dream for CEREMONIA. Living in Bali has given me the unique vantage to develop close-knit relationships with all our artisan partners and their families. We constantly encourage one another's growth and creativity, and have become extended family.
A few weeks into the pandemic I made the difficult decision of leaving my home in Bali to be closer to my family in LA. Since being back, I've been spending more time in my father's native Mexico, meeting with artisan families to expand our collection. I'm happy to help generate work opportunities in rural areas that have been so heavily impacted, meanwhile they are grateful to have work.
Together, alongside our artisan partners in Bali and Mexico, we've created collections that are rooted in local tradition, blending earth elements with modern appeal and functionality. We're happy to continue sharing new treasures, and thank you for being along for the journey, and for supporting our work + mission.
more than a brand
when you shop our collection, you're supporting a small woman-owned business, all of our artisan partners and their families, their villages, and the organizations we give back to through the dreamcatcher project. we believe in doing business that has a positive social impact.
what we do
our mission
CEREMONIA is dedicated to providing families in underserved regions with dignified income opportunities, while creating an ethical handcrafted lifestyle collection that preserves nature, culture, and tradition. Our collection is created in small batches, using natural and locally-sourced materials.
our process
We work closely with artisans who use methods and traditions that have been handed down for many generations to make all our pieces. Our entire process is handmade: each piece is created individually, making each design a one-of-a-kind work of art. So much love gets poured into the making of each item.
our purpose
At CEREMONIA, we are proud to work in partnership with our artisan families to offer a thoughtful selection of globally-inspired goods. We love sharing stories and slices of this world with you. As we grow, we hope to expand to new regions to further our mission... and of course, to share new treasures with you.