Meet Zoe Freedman of ALMA LA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Zoe Freedman.

Zoe, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been working within the fashion industry for over a decade in Los Angeles. After working in the many different facets of the industry, I had a dream of one day starting my own company that was focused on high quality, made in LA unique products. I didn’t know at that time what exactly I wanted to design, but I knew that I loved to travel and had a deep passion for patterns & textiles from other countries.

After traveling to Guatemala with my boyfriend, whose family is from Guatemala City, we discovered endless gorgeous handmade textiles, I knew immediately that I wanted to use these fabrics and create something beautiful and functional! I also knew that I wanted my products /brand to have a purpose, a story, and give back.

After researching, we found an incredible cooperative in Guatemala that housed Mayan women and allowed them to hand-weave Huipiles, which is a dying art form – the Mayan women also sold their vintage handmade Huipiles that have been passed down for generations. (Huipiles are similar to a decorative poncho/shirt with beautiful, intricate designs weaved into the shirt)

We purchased a few suitcases full of vintage Huipiles and handmade fabrics from the cooperative and made our way back to LA. Once we were home, I reached out to a small factory in DTLA. A woman-owned factory that had been around for many years that focused on high quality, handmade leather goods.

After our first collection was finished, our vision became much more clear… Bringing these beautiful textiles to life, helping the Mayan women sustain themselves and their families and designing handbags that were not only purpose driven but unique. Taking part in the ever-growing Made in LA movement was also of great importance to us.

Currently, we have just finished our 5th collection of handbags and will be headed back to Guatemala in the New Year. We have also launched a swim collection that is made from 100% recycled fabrics & made in LA. We intend to continue to grow and design more sustainable goods that will continue to support causes that we believe in and allow our customers to look and feel their best!

Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not! There have many, many moments that I felt like walking away… We have put everything into this company, financially, emotionally & spiritually.

When you start your own business, you are always questioning if your product is good enough, will your company ever grow big enough to support the life you want, and if all the risks and money you put in will ever actually end up being be worth it!

One of the biggest struggles we face is finding capitol, and still is to this day. To grow a business, the reality is that money is always needed, all the time, and there never seems to be enough. At this time, we are trying to figure out how to take our company to the next level – which really entails allocating more money towards advertising & building a team.

I personally do almost everything by myself and have from the beginning. I design, handle all social media, website design, photo shoots & creative direction. Oh, and I’m a mama and have several side hustles to pay the bills!

It all comes down to believing in one’s self and not giving up – even when it seems like giving up is the better option. I think entrepreneurs must have a mixture of confidence and crazy to take big risks and put all that they have into their dreams!

We’d love to hear more about your business.
ALMA LA is a sustainable handbag and swim company based in LA. We design one of a kind bags made from vintage, handmade textiles from Guatemala. We work with a cooperative in Guatemala that houses Mayan women and their families. The cooperative supports the Mayan women and their indigenous, ancient weaving techniques. They then sell their handmade and vintage textiles in return for the women living at the cooperative. We produce our swim collections only once per year, as we work with a small local woman who does all of our production. All of our swim is made from 100% recycled fabrics, and of course made here in LA!

We are best known for our “Weekender Bag” made from vintage handmade Huipiles. Each bag is one of a kind, and can never be replicated! We design each Weekender with the original neckline of the Huipile, which means that every bag has to literally be handmade due to each one being unique and a pattern has to be created for each bag in the production process.

We are most proud of our ability to use all sustainable materials and manufacture all of our goods in DTLA. This is not easy when you know you can find cheaper ways to manufacture and buy materials elsewhere. We are also very proud of the Mayan women we work with, and to bring a piece of their beauty and history to life. Every one of our bags has a story, and we want our customers to know and connect with where their bag came from and how it came to be!

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I believe that LA is a great city to start and grow a business. The biggest struggle is competition, however, this isn’t always a negative thing… LA pushes you to be more creative than maybe the other company that just launched.. there is endless inspiration and culture to push you.

I would recommend to others starting out to be in this city, there truly is so much opportunity here, it’s just a matter of taking it.

Pricing:

• Alma Weekender – $428
• Luna Beach Tote – $165
• Sololá Clutch – $118
• Mia Cosmetic Bag – $48

Contact Info:

• Address: 1546 N Ave 46 Los Angeles, CA 90041
• Website: https://alma.la/
• Phone: 323-979-8896
• Email: info@almavistoso.com
• Instagram: @alma.losangeles
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alma.losangeles/
• Other: http://almavistoso.tumblr.com/

Image Credit:
Brian Stevens (Photographer Bags)
Aubrey Oothout (Photographer Swim)
Cheyenne Gordon (Model – Swim)
Dominique Lerma (Hair&Makeup)
Zoe Freedman (Styling)
Freddy Castaneda

Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.