Meet Natalie Cardenas of Santuario

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Cardenas.

Natalie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am a first-generation Latina. My mother is Colombian and my father is Peruvian. From a young age, I spent a lot of summers with my grandmother and family in Colombia. The more I explored and visited family in Colombia, the more intrigued I became about my culture. Colombian culture is beautiful and the local artisans take great pride in their products. I started to collect artisan made products because I wanted to support them, and also because I wanted to share their beauty with those outside of Colombia. I started sharing these beautiful products with friends. I received so much positive feedback and one day it finally clicked! I should combine my passion for my culture and fashion by creating Santuario.

I knew I was the perfect person to introduce the world to the beauties of local Colombian artisans. Since I was young, I have always loved Fashion. I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology and received a BA in Merchandising and Management. Over the past eight years of my career, I gained invaluable experience through various companies and mentors. Those experiences shaped my work ethic, but I always saw something missing, there was little representation of the Latin American culture, which I love. I knew that I wanted to work for myself at some point in my career. I had no idea what that would look like or where to even start. But with Santuario, it seemed like the natural evolution of bringing together what I have learned in Fashion and the culture I fell in love with.

Has it been a smooth road?
My journey hasn’t been a straight line, but more like a bumpy, zig zagged path. I appreciate my challenges because each challenge or set back has taught me something. There are no mistakes, just learning experiences. So when I hit a bump, I always ask how can I learn from this situation. One of my biggest struggles was overcoming my own fear. It’s scary to put out a piece of yourself – like these bags are for me, they are my culture and then be rejected. But I have shifted my perspective of that fear of rejection. I know my mission is authentic. I know that there is a market for Santuario – the entire community is working towards accepting diversity all around them. I realize that the only thing I can do is stay faithful to my calling and understand that this is a process. Of course, I won’t get it right all the time, but I can continue to work hard and hopefully our community will start to see that shine through. I am constantly learning from my mistakes and that’s what makes this journey so much sweeter.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Santuario – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
At Santuario, we offer 100% handmade, premium Colombian leather handbags. Our mission is to unit fashion with tradition for an intentional statement.

We aim to bring awareness to the Artisans of Colombia, who have mastered this craftsmanship over decades. We not only strive to garner appreciation for their abilities but bring awareness to the community and provide new opportunities to this region. With a personal connection to Santuario, Colombia, we hope to dismantle the stereotypical stigma of the country’s unsavory export trade.

We take pride in our unique Carriel or Carry-All style which is a tradition that dates back to the 1800s. This unique style originates from the coffee region of Colombia, where Santuario is located.

Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
What I like best about our city are all the vegan options we have to choose from. What I like least about our city is that it can sometimes take a half hour to drive down the block 🙂

Contact Info:

• Website: shopsantuario.com
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @shopsantuario
• Facebook: @shopsantuario

Image Credit:
Photographer: Sela Shiloni, Model: Joline Nunez, Model: Carrie Amstutz, Hair/Makeup: Taylor Silva, Location: Turrentine studios

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