In 2006, when designer Angela O’Brien and her husband, Jim, set out to embark upon a year long journey to countries very much far and away from their home in Southern California, they had no idea what such an excursion would conceive. They only knew that they yearned to enrich their lives beyond the limits of contemporary life in the States. Jim’s love for surfing was the catalyst for this adventure, and they ‘set sail’ to discover more waves around the globe. With their intuitions as their guide, they set out to explore and immerse themselves in diverse cultures, in themselves and in each other. It was in Southeast Asia, on the island of Bali, several months later, where a culture so brightly woven in tradition, simplicity and nature, gave Angela a renewed sense of self discovery. She was able to see her life, less linear, and more dimensional, as if her life were pieces that belonged to something far greater than herself. The sense of community experienced in Bali made the tiniest moment, act or word spoken possess meaning in a different light.

Sketching by hand, Angela’s drawings and purpose began to align organically, and it was not long before Angela began to envision her career in fashion in ways where the end product could also be responsible, functional to the present moment and, too, to the longevity of the “greater good”. Angela knew that beauty is not defined by the surface, but rather the intention behind it, and this was prolific to shaping her talent as an artist. In these precious moments, she felt nothing but gratitude. In an effort to share what she was experiencing, she thought to turn her drawings into something necessary for her own travels, as an homage to this special expedition. There in a small tropical village, Angela’s travel inspired collection of handbags and accessories came to fruition. Cleobella was named after Angela’s mother, Cleobelle, which further set in motion this mission behind Angela’s gratitude & love for travel. The collection is comprised of hand made goods, that are rich in texture and function. The use of washed leathers, vintage ikat fabric, recycled antique hardware and geometric shapes are simply decadent and are perfect for the woman who travels in her own independent style and does so responsibly.

The hand-tooled craftsmanship & the unique designs are embraced by esteemed retailers worldwide. Cleobella continues to uphold a reputation of being impeccable in quality and remarkable in design. Her bags and accessories can be found on the shelves of Barney’s NY, Planet Blue, Calypso, and Anthropologie to name a few…and, more importantly, in the hands of women around the world on the go. Classic, earthy, and yet refreshingly modern for the boho-chic lifestyle that is carefree. This is femininity at its finest!

Angela is dedicated to the process of the craftsmanship and to the support of the local artisans that help bring her sketches to life. And, together with her husband, they expend strident efforts in cultivating positive relationships with people of the villages, and do what they can to impact positively on the wellbeing of these villages. [They also insure that all leathers used in her designs are ISO certified, which are recycled from the food industries, and from companies whose animals were raised organically and free range] Additionally, a percentage of all proceeds go to Care, a leading humanitarian organization that fights global poverty. Care focuses on helping women, specifically, to improve basic education, prevention of disease, expand economic opportunity, and protect natural resources.