In 2012, Vanessa and her family moved to Bali to get back to the basics, to focus on family and give their children a cultural experience. Whilst in Bali the family flourished, and Vanessa was inspired by the life that surrounded them.

Residing on the south coast of Bali alongside rice paddies the whole family was immediately swept up in the lifestyle that is Bali. Living outdoors, watching the sunrise and sunset, and a life fuelled by the luna phases. "The moon has such a cultural significance to the Indonesian people, and particularly in Bali, the moon is a mark of so many things. I realised that our happiness came from the authenticity of the life we were living."

Feeling surrounded by beauty and Los Luna was born.

"It was by chance I met the artisans I work with today, just by exploring Indonesia, going off the beaten track with the kids, meeting people, and discovering the rituals of daily life. I found myself wanting to bring baskets, furniture, and beautiful old wooden wares into our home, and after a time I wanted to offer the same to other people too. That is where Los Luna began, as a retail store, homewares that have been made with traditional crafts, and hold cultural significance."

"I have so much respect for artisans in Bali, in the areas where we have lived, we were amongst men and women using their trades to make beautiful pieces for everyday tasks - baskets, wooden carvings, fabrics, ceramics and ceremonial pieces. They would spend their days hand making pieces that they would swap or sell. After living amongst the locals for a year, life was simple and beautiful. My children were friends with their children, we became friends. This is when I really began to understand the cultural significance of the art trade in Bali and surrounding Indonesia.”

As life went on so did Los Luna, deciding to move away from the retail side and changing it up to be able to concentrate on production and development for customers. Helping others develop their own ideas and helping them fill their homes with pieces that they chose themselves. Even just showing them where to discover these beautiful pieces and at a considerable saving as not buying from other retailers but going straight to the manufacturer. The thrill of rummaging though road side shop and finding something really special is what we love!

and all the artisans that worked patiently with me over the past few years to bring Los Luna to life."

"My favourite pieces are the ones that have a strong cultural meaning, like the traditional wooden cow bells, petrified wood stools and dishes that have been adapted to fit into our everyday life. The friendships you develop when you’re working and living in the same community make all the difference, it allowed me the privilege to ask for things to be made in a specific way, or with a special material, but still holding the cultural significance and unique talent of the artist".

"The Manggarai Cushions are made with fabric found in a little village in Flores in Eastern Indonesia. Traditionally, the fabric is ceremonial, used for special rituals, and passed down within the family. The material was in beautiful condition, although some pieces had holes and tears from a long life of use. Each piece had to be treated and restored. I wanted to retain the original beauty of the piece, part of it’s history and cultural significance, so there are still small holes and stitching that is a mark of it’s origins".

Vanessa makes an effort to form relationships with all of the Artisans she works with, visiting their home and meeting their family, who usually all live under the same roof. Vanessa works with Kadek, a very talented woman, to create the earthware Los Luna offers. "Earthware is a beautiful art in Indonesia, most women are very talented at ceramics due to all the throwing and glazes they create on a daily basis for the various vessels they make. When I saw Kadek's workshop I knew she was the one that I wanted to make the ceramics for Los Luna. Teaposts, bowls and cups were all hand thrown to perfection. Everything has been put through ancient glaze techniques and passed down from generation to generation. Kadek was kind enough to allow me to use her collection so each piece has a little bit of history and her home in it, which I love, and I think people appreciate that."

"We worked together for about 2 years perfecting the designs and colours for Los Luna. The larger pieces, like wall hangings would take up to 4 weeks for her to make, after the design process. There was a lot of drawing and playing around with the colours of the fabrics which we had to re-dye with natural dyes because I knew exactly how I wanted each piece to look".

"I wanted to offer pieces that are timeless that people will love and keep in their homes for a long time. I wanted to give people a piece of Indonesia that I loved, the authenticity and beauty of the culture, the people and their skills".

Los Luna is about tradition, culture, and the beauty in authenticity. "Every piece is finished and of impeccable quality, but I like there to be the sign of hand stitching and hand painting that marks each piece as individual and unique. That is where the stories come from, and I believe this is what we look for when we bring something into our home, a story."