éliou
Natural Materials, Modern Form: Conscious Select × éliou
Cristina Mantilla and Duda Teixeira have been friends since they were seven years old. Both grew up in Miami, both spent their childhoods making things by hand — beaded jewellery, clothing cut from scraps — long before anyone was paying attention. The brand started in 2019 when Cristina found a shell on a beach in Costa Rica that matched one she had lost, gathered a handful more, and went home to remake the earring herself. She and Duda photographed the pieces on a white wall outside their studio and sent them to friends. Net-a-Porter emailed asking about Paris Fashion Week before they had a website.
That origin — unplanned, hands-on, built from materials found in the world rather than ordered from a catalogue — remains the logic of everything éliou makes.
Two Rhythms, One Studio
éliou moves in two registers: jewellery crafted with precision, and clothing that is expressive and speaks for itself. Both are made in the same Miami studio, by the same team, with the same approach to materials and making.
The jewellery works with freshwater pearls, shells, gemstones, and hand-formed beads — natural materials chosen for character and texture rather than uniformity. Each piece is handmade in-house, with the founders personally sourcing and selecting every material used and every finished piece passing a qualification process before it leaves the studio. Almost the entire range is made-to-order, which means nothing is produced speculatively and nothing accumulates as unsold inventory.
The clothing follows the same logic. Tops, shorts, and ready-to-wear pieces designed in the same coastal, contemporary language as the jewellery — colour-rich, textured, expressive without excess. Collections are born, as the brand puts it, from a desire to honour the warmth and colour rooted in their heritage, expressed through contemporary designs that feel both intentional and emotive.
The team that makes it all is predominantly women — many of whom came to éliou from outside the workforce or from work they wanted to leave. That is not a credential the brand advertises. It is how Cristina describes the part of building éliou she is most proud of.
Why éliou is a Consciously Selected Brand: CS Signal
CS Verified | Almost entirely made-to-order across both jewellery and clothing, eliminating overproduction. Fully in-house handmade production in Miami, with founders personally selecting every material. Female-majority production team. Natural materials throughout — freshwater pearls, shells, gemstones, and hand-formed beads.
Frequently Asked Questions about éliou
What does éliou make? éliou makes jewellery and ready-to-wear clothing — necklaces, earrings, bracelets, cuffs, tops, shorts, and accessories. Both categories are handmade in-house at the Miami studio from natural materials, in the same coastal, contemporary design language.
Where is éliou made? Everything is handmade in-house at éliou's Miami studio. The founders source and personally select all materials, and all finished pieces pass a qualification process. The production team is predominantly women.
Is éliou sustainable? Almost the entire range is made-to-order, preventing overproduction and eliminating surplus inventory. Materials are natural throughout — freshwater pearls, shells, and gemstones — with no synthetic materials in the core collection. The brand does not hold formal sustainability certifications but operates on a production model that minimises waste by design.