In July 2023, we received a very special message from an ocean lover based in Mexico. Maria is a former sailing athlete who spent half of her life wearing bathing suits. Committed to protecting what she considers her home, she launched a beachwear brand that is willing to do it differently : less shopping, more creativity. Sharing the same love for the ocean and spreading similar values regarding women empowerment, we couldn’t be happier when she told us Nalu wanted to help us protect the coral reefs of Indonesia.
A conscious approach to fashion
Growing up in Mexico City, Maria started sailing as a hobby, escaping to the ocean with her family whenever she had the opportunity to do so. Her passion for the ocean quickly became bigger : she started racing with her sisters and the three of them became national and international professional athletes. If she doesn’t compete anymore, she’s now a boat captain that loves exploring the underwater world. During the pandemic, Maria decided to launch a beachwear brand that would act to keep the oceans safe and clean.
I have been wearing bathsuits my whole life, I love them. But we are used to buying one, using it a couple of times, then it gets old and you throw it away and you want another one. With Nalu, I wanted to create a brand that provides pieces that you can turn around, mix and match it in different ways. Fewer clothes, more combinations : you have a collection in your closet that you use longer.
Not only Nalu promotes slow fashion, the female only team is dedicated to ensuring that women always feel both comfortable and alluring in their high-quality, versatile beachwear pieces. Nalu was envisioned for every woman, wanting you to feel at ease expressing your femininity through their creations. They believe in fashion that accentuates and celebrates the female form, embracing individuality.
When marine conservation meets women empowerment
Nalu’s commitment regarding sustainability doesn’t stop there. From the beginning, Maria wanted her brand to support ocean cleaning incentives : her first idea was to take a few kilograms of trash out of the ocean for each piece of the collection sold. While she was invested in the mission of finding an organization that would help her get out plastic from the ocean, one of her friends told her about Coral Catch and suddenly it clicked. “An organization that helps nature but also helps women, I loved it. Mexico is also a country where women struggle a lot, there’s a lot of violence against women so we’ve always been struggling to have our place in this country.”
What would you like to say to empower girls to build the career of their dreams ?
Sometimes it is going to be really hard because men are going to tell us that we're not enough or that we're not able to do something.
It's amazing what we can do if we put our minds together, if we stick together. So stay strong and help each other, always !
Some words from Nalu about Aurelia's collection
The name “Aurelia” is an homage to the Aurelia Jellyfish, also known as the Moon Jellyfish. We selected these graceful and mesmerizing creatures, perceiving them as symbolic representations of the enigmatic beauty inherent in female energy.
The heart of our collection lies in the awe-inspiring realm of corals. We hold a deep admiration for these extraordinary beings due to the life they nurture. Coral Reefs, composed of countless minuscule coral formations, contribute to 70% of the oxygen vital to all living beings. They serve as the bedrock of oceanic well-being. Acknowledging our reliance on them, we’ve joined hands with Coral Catch to cultivate and propagate corals in Indonesia, contributing to the vitality of our oceans.
You can find our collection here.
