About Maria Elena
Inspired by history and culture
Maria Elena was born and raised in Cajamarca Peru. This city has an impressive history that goes back to before the occupation by the Spanish, and is widely regarded as very rich and impressive. Although as a young adult she moved to Lima, Cajamarca always stayed in her heart. This shows in her choices of designs, colors and materials.
One of the biggest influences can be found in the way Carnaval is celebrated in Cajamarca: a colorful mix of (pre-)Inka cultures, Catholic icons and modern influences make this a unique experience. Maria Elena wants to share this in her designs and choses to make everything unique, just like every costume and mask in the celebration is unique.
Our Story
Maria Elena grew up in Cajamarca and moved to Lima in the hope to find more opportunities. These came thanks to the family who she lived with. They opened doors for her and brought her in contact with Lorena Pestana among others. Lorena Pestana is a well established and well-known artist, who produces and sells jewelry in Peru and Mexico. Here Maria Elena learned the art which she shows now.
Working in several other businesses made it clear that she wanted to do nothing else than showing her own skills and designs in another way. Thanks to working with an organizer of street fairs, she got the chance to start showing her wears. This opened the market and gave her the first sales and the first reactions. Thanks to a quickly growing loyal customer base, she is now able to pay for a fixed selling point in Barranco, the most Bohemian district of Lima.
The next step in the growth of the business is now: we are starting internationally and are offering the latest designs in the Concept Store Perivien in the heart of Paris. As a designer this is a very big milestone, but not an endpoint: Marie Elena is always looking at the future and trying to offer new designs and new places to find them.