Angela O’Brien – CleoBella
It was her year-long trip around the world with her husband, she the artisans who would eventually create her line of clothing and accessories. Cleaobella’s founder Angela O’Brien, “Ange”, began as a model and then moved to making clothing which is loved by celebrities including Halle Berry, Jessica Alba, and Kate Hudson.
Of all the places Ange and Jim saw on their globetrotting adventure, Bali and India were the places where Ange began to lay the bricks for the foundation of Cleobella. “In Bali, there was an energy exchange I had never felt before; I was so in love, the people, the food, the culture captivated all our senses. Our driver, Nyoman, introduced us to one of our very first makers, Yanti, whom we still work with today.” Similarly, in India, Ange says, “I was so moved to see the women in their beautiful saris working so hard. It inspired me to focus on celebrating and uplifting women. At the end of the trip, the couple planned to move to Hawaii for a project Jim had arranged.
“I’ve always been into the arts and my dream was to have my own business,” says Ange. “This was a great opportunity to make this dream a reality. We were married in Maui and had spent some time there over the years and one of my favorite places to visit were the weekend markets where vendors were selling their wares. It was a way to start my small business with very little investment and overhead.”
Named after Ange’s mom, Cleobelle, a family name after her great grandmother, Cleobella was born. With connections made in both India and Bali and the seed of an idea, Ange and Jim moved to Maui.
Our artisan partners are always at the heart of everything we do. As a small, family-run business, nurturing strong bonds with our artisans is a fundamental principle of our business. Many of these relationships span over a decade and have now turned into family.
Since Cleobella’s inception, its founders have split their time between California and Southeast Asia, ensuring they can work alongside and support their overseas teams. It is through these meaningful connections they have been able to grow as a brand and create products that are handmade with integrity. They have collaborated with various organizations to empower women, like Bloom India. Through this alliance, they contribute to funding pre-college STEM courses for young women in India, thereby providing them with invaluable opportunities for advancement. What a great example of working with your partners.
VentureMom Tip
Follow where your heart leads and create a business from your discoveries.
