PEROLA
story
Cindy and her mother, Rosa have always been two peas in a pod. They share the same love for Indonesian artistry, jewelry and spicy street food. When life led Cindy to move to New York City, 10,045 miles away from her hometown, Cindy was determined to stay connected to her mother and her family. While she loves her fast-paced New York life, she is constantly looking to drum up opportunities to connect to her roots.
Cindy and Rosa often found themselves talking about starting a business together that would promote Indonesian craftsmanship. When they conceptualized Perola, they knew they wanted to combine South Sea elegance with East Coast sophistication: a brand that promotes appreciation for fine materials and a thorough commitment towards craft.
7 Q&As
MOVIDA Where are you from?
PÉROLA I am from Jakarta, Indonesia.
MOVIDA Name 3 things on a best day in your hometown?
PÉROLA The people, the arts & handicrafts, the culture and the food!
MOVIDA Where do you reside?
PÉROLA New York City
MOVIDA 5 things you love in the neighbourhood or city you reside in?
PÉROLA The diversity of the people | Its energy and unpredictability | How the city embraces misfits and celebrates fringe culture | The public transportation!
MOVIDA How did you end up what you do now?
PÉROLA I was looking for a creative outlet from my day job in finance, and wanted to start a project with my mother (who lives 10,000+ miles away). PEROLA was a natural choice for us. My mother and I both love Indonesian south sea pearls - and we wanted to create a line that creates jewelry pieces that not only expresses a woman’s signature style, but can also be passed down from generation to generation.
MOVIDA What's the one piece of jewelry that you cannot live without?
PÉROLA A pair of baroque pearl earrings. The weirder the shape, the better.
MOVIDA How did the CHANDI collection emerge at first? What was the inspiration?
PÉROLA For our first collection, we wanted to celebrate Indonesian designs. The pieces in the CHANDI collection incorporates intricate Balinese carvings that are inspired by the Indonesian temple architecture. The combination of elegant pearls and structural carvings make the pieces ceremonial yet feminine, edgy yet traditional.
MOVIDA What's your favourite quote?
PÉROLA “Everything will be ok in the end. If it’s not ok, it’s not the end”
MOVIDA Your go-to karaoke song(s)?
PÉROLA Natalie Imbruglia - Torn
MOVIDA Your style icon(s)?
PÉROLA Garance Dore’s effortless elegance.
MOVIDA Your top 3 items on your bucket list?
PÉROLA Start a project with my mother (check!) | Become a fluent French speaker | Bollywood dance | Bonus 4th item: live a tri-coastal lifestyle: Indonesia, France and New York
MOVIDA What are your top 3 dream travel destinations? Why?
PÉROLA Madeira Island in Portugal, Bhutan and Argentina - full of culture, amazing hiking possibilities, and delectable food.