About: We are a cool, hip, trendy, unique brand emerging out of Venice, California in the pets and home category. We are a team of three strong, equal, partners working to get this product into high end brick and mortar pet stores, home stores & department store, large chains, and online as well. We will be the “Pendleton” of culturally inspired patterns, and southwestern and boho styles. As well we are e incorporating a company mission to donate and create beds and pillows for any pets or owners who are homeless or needy.
Center: Salvage Maria’s Janeesa and sons.
Salvage Maria’s inception came from a truly special and sentimental place. On Christmas Eve of 2013, Janeesa’s 26-year-old brother Joshua passed away unexpectedly. It was absolutely heart breaking and devastating. After time had passed, she and her family packed up his clothes. It was a difficult process for her sisters, but especially for her mother Maria. His scent still lingered on everything.
Maria had let her keep some of his shirts to take back home. Once she was back in LA, she had the motivation to carry out a long thought about idea. The idea of recycling adult clothes into children sizes and using bright beautiful textiles from back home. Any sentimental habiliment that an adult was saving or just couldn’t part with, she would downsize them into children sizes. They could be converted into pants, shorts, onesies, dresses, t-shirts… just about anything! Being in Los Angeles without her family was isolating and saddening that this gave her something to focus on. She made some shirts for her son, Everett who was two at the time out of Joshua’s old t-shirts. She also started creating beautiful pillows, and unique pieces from Mexican blankets and other bright woven fabrics.
Accessories and photo by @salvagemaria
Eventually through everyone’s love and demand she grew organically on IG, she was discovered by Fred Segal and Nordstrom. This was the first launching pad for the brand. All along Maria was working with Janeesa from San Antonio, Texas. She’s now currently a preschool director but she moonlights as our buyer and travels to Oaxaca and other parts of Mexico quite often in search of new product. That’s where the name comes from, the “salvaging” of what we procure and “Maria” for mother. This endeavor has helped us find the beauty from our ashes. During a family trip with Maria, Janeesa saw these beautiful hand-woven Mexican blankets that had a thunderbird pattern all over them. Being infatuated with them she brought them home. After making pillows for her couch and large floor pillows for her kids and pets, everyone was obsessed! She knew that an idea was born and direction for the company had been established.
Out of necessity to keep the brand going she knew she had to come up with something that would allow her to grow and get these items to the market. Being at a point where the work was quickly getting to be too much and with another child on the way, Janeesa sought out an investment and business partnership.
With so many plain and basic dog beds out there as well as home décor, she knew for certain it would be the perfect feel and look a lot of the market is seeking was looking for. The brand could be unique and really stand out.
Janeesa fortuitously reached out to a friend, who happens to be a Venice local and professional dog walker. Inquiring if she knew of any dog boutiques that would be a good fit and interested in carrying the new beds. She was so incredibly gracious and kind and referred her to Cody and Sean, owners of Bruno’s Venice, a local pet boutique. After bringing some beds by the store on consignment that sold almost instantly, they developed a business relationship, which led to a business partnership and brought the company to where it is now.
With Cody & Sean’s extensive expertise in the dog industry, business acumen, and as retailers themselves they’ve been able to reinvent the brand and take the quality & design to a new level. One of the greatest selling points on the brand is that it’s machine washable, and absolutely gorgeous!
Bruno’s Cody Decker
The derivation of Janeesa’s Mexican-Zapotec roots with the added element of that “Venice boho-beach coolness” Sean, and Cody bring to the brand is what they incorporate in all of their design aesthetics. Standing apart from the rest with the beautiful, on trend, hand-woven and globally inspired textiles. All goods are painstakingly handcrafted in Los Angeles, the quality is exceptional, functional and durable. They do everything they can to support local vendors and have partnered with indigenous family artisans in Mexico. Salvage Maria is eco-conscious with all their materials and process.
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For more info, visit SalvageMaria.com or stop by Bruno’s Venice.
About Bruno’s Venice: We’re a local boutique & carry only the best for your dog and cat! DELIVERY throughout Los Angeles or come visit us at 2012 Lincoln Blvd. Venice, 90291.
Join Salvage Maria and Bruno’s on Instagram.
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