Ibulliance: A Thread Back to My Roots

I remember the first time I stepped into the Ibu showroom. I was completely enchanted by the colors, the intricate patterns, the sparkle of the jewelry. Every piece felt like a story waiting to be told. It felt like walking into a treasure box, one filled with soul.

One of my first purchases was a pair of the Cascade Earrings. They caught my eye instantly—shimmering with delicate movement, unlike anything I’d seen before. When I learned they were handcrafted in El Salvador by Lula Mena’s artisan collective, I knew I had to have them.

Lula Mena began her work in 2013 in San Salvador with a bold mission: to preserve El Salvador’s traditional techniques and restore dignity to the work of women artisans. Today, her studio supports over 100 women trained in the once-forgotten arts of sewing and natural indigo dyeing, reviving a cultural heritage that had nearly vanished.

A young Grace in El Salvador; with her daughter; her daughter dressing up in Cascade earrings. 

 

I was born in a small town in El Salvador and lived there until I was five. We didn’t have much, but my mom and grandmother always found little ways to bring beauty into my life—dresses from the market, plastic jewelry I wore like gold. These earrings brought me right back to that kind of unfiltered, childhood joy.

Now, as a mother of three raising my children in Charleston, I often think about how to share where I come from. One day, my daughter pulled the earrings from my jewelry box, like little girls love to do, and stared at them, completely mesmerized.

Wow! These are new! Where are they from? she asked.

From El Salvador, I said. Where I’m from.

She paused. Did a mama make them too?

Such a simple question, but it stayed with me. I wondered the same thing. Who made this exact pair? Is she a mother like me? What are her hopes, her dreams? I may never meet her, but I wear her work with reverence.

Jackie Borja of Lula Mena crafting Grace’s earrings.

That, to me, is the magic of Ibu. It’s not just the beauty of what we wear. It’s the quiet but powerful connection it carries. An understanding between women across continents and generations. A shared language of care, resilience, and craft.

Maybe one day, my daughter will visit El Salvador and meet an artisan like Jackie, who made these earrings. Maybe she’ll grow up knowing that beauty can be a force for good.

My deepest hope is that Ibu continues to be that bridge for women creating beauty in their communities, and for those who discover it here and feel a little more connected to the world.

Perhaps that’s what it means to belong to something global yet deeply personal: a quiet recognition between women who may never meet, but who see each other through beauty and care.

If a piece from Ibu has ever moved you, I’d love to hear your story. And if you’re still waiting for something to speak to you, I invite you into this magical shop. You never know if a piece there wants to become part of your story, too.

With gratitude, 
Grace Hamilton
Director of Mission Engagement

 

Artisan Spotlight: Jackie Borja

Jackie is 42 years old and a mother of two. Though she only completed ninth grade herself, her daughter is now studying Artisanal Design, the same field Jackie once dreamed of pursuing—at the very university where Lula Mena began her work. Helping to provide that opportunity, Jackie says, is one of her proudest accomplishments.