Apparel & Accessories
Find unique local gifts for your group or purchase local souvenirs and authentic handmade pieces for your group to take home from Aruba.
Tangerine / We The Beach People
Continuing her family’s long-standing sewing tradition, Aruban Ashlin Ahlip creates durable, handcrafted canvas bags and accessories under her Tangerine brand. According to Ash, “With each handmade bag, I strive to create a piece of quality craftsmanship and timeless style. All of my bags are deeply influenced by the traditional nautical style and colors of Aruba.” Her We The Beach People line of clothing, hats, and other accessories, featuring a clean and simple style, is also very popular with locals and visitors to the island. Tangerine and We The Beach People products can be found at Bula Surf Shop, Island Yoga, and Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant. Website: www.arubahandmade.com.
Arubiano
For many, flip-flops are an island essential. A great souvenir from Aruba is Arubiano’s flip-flops. Their colorful designs showcase Aruba’s culture, flora, and fauna, photographed by award-winning wildlife photographer Damilice Mansur. Arubiano also offers eco-friendly bags and caps, which also make great souvenirs. Arubiano products are available island-wide. Visit their website for store locations: www.arubiano.com.
VADAVAS
VADAVAS features collections designed exclusively by three local sisters and handcrafted by single mothers on the island. These mothers are part of the Women Opportunity International Foundation, founded by Diana Biemans-Gomez, their mother. They choose the designs and materials, with the flexibility to work from home at their own pace and convenience. VADAVAS accessories are crafted with natural fabrics and stones, freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystals, and Czech gemstones. The collections include necklaces, earrings, bracelets, foot jewelry, barefoot sandals, headbands, stretch tiaras, and hair accessories. Recently, the sisters even launched a clothing line. The VADAVAS boutique is located in the Paseo Herencia shopping center, and their products are also sold in various resort gift shops on the island. Visit their website for specific locations:www.vadavas.com.
Loretti Design
Artist Deborah de Weerd draws on her passion for color and attention to detail to create magnificent flame-worked jewelry, accessories, and figurines, as well as hand-sculpted, fused, and photographed abstract landscapes. Aruba’s landscapes, textures, and light impressions profoundly influence her work. Using an eclectic variety of materials, she continually explores to create unique designs, presenting her work under the name Loretti Design. Her beautiful work is available at Loretti Design Studio in Paradera. Website: www.lorettidesign.com.
Mersea Jewelry
Monica Franken is the designer behind the artisanal jewelry brand Mersea, a name that combines mermaid and sea. Indeed, the Caribbean Sea is reflected in her pieces, many of which incorporate turquoise and freshwater pearls, as well as coral and volcanic rock beads. Overall, Monica works with semiprecious stones and the wire-wrapping technique (using coated copper wire) to create her signature style, which she describes as bohemian chic or “nature-inspired elegance.” She draws inspiration from the boundless natural beauty of Aruba, capturing its essence with every swirl, curve, and knot. Contact her at merseajewelryaruba@gmail.com with inquiries or visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/merseajewelry/.
Caribbean Art Scarves by Elisa Lejuez Peters
Originally from the Netherlands, Elisa Lejuez Peters has established herself as one of Aruba’s most well-known artists, making her mark with her striking use of color, acrylic paint, and silkscreen technique. In early 2016, she embarked on a new project, her Caribbean Art Scarves, which combines her signature neo-pop style with her artistic training and mastery of textile design. Elisa’s scarves are directly influenced by the shapes, colors, and patterns that catch her eye, and even by her current mood. The scarves are 100% silk, and she regularly releases new limited-edition collections.
Aruba-Inspired Graphic Tees
Here in Aruba, a recent wave of iconic graphic tees has emerged. These tees have become signature items for local businesses, offering t-shirt collectors a touch of Aruban culture to add to their wardrobes. One of the most well-known Papiamento words in Aruba is “dushi” (literally translated as “sweet”), and it’s used to refer to someone as a sweetheart or to indicate that something is delicious, great, or wonderful. In short, “dushi” means to highlight something or someone in a positive light, and the word can be found on many iconic Aruban tees.
Bula Surf Shop’s popular slogan “Dushi Yiu!” ushered in a new era of souvenir T-shirts on the island. The Papiamento expression (literally translated as “sweet boy”) is a slang term in the local surfing community and refers to something as awesome, twisted, or “sweet,” summing up Bula’s love of surfing and having fun. Surf shop owners Yair and David created the T-shirts in 2003, shortly after the shop first opened. The shirts were originally made for the shop owners’ friends in Aruba’s surfing community. Within a year, the iconic T-shirts (and caps and bumper stickers) had caught on outside the surfing community, and tourists began flocking to the shop to pick up the merchandise, wanting to take home something authentically Aruban. Even now, after more than 15 years, Dushi Yiu gear remains popular with locals and tourists alike. Website: www.bulasurfshop.com.
De Palm Tours
also launched a line of “dushi” T-shirts in its Coconuts retail stores in early 2013. Retail Operations Manager Liesje Seraus conceived the “Biba Dushi” (meaning “live sweetly”) product line while traveling with friends to compete in an international beach tennis tournament. “We were proud to represent Aruba, and we also wanted to teach our international beach tennis friends some Papiamento phrases,” she explains. Coconuts first introduced T-shirts, followed by hats, flip-flops, and even hoodies. The line has a large international following, especially in the Brazilian market. Website: www.depalmisland.com/gift-shop.
Retail expert Jodi Tobman of The Salamander Group introduced the “Biba Lekker” product line to her T.H. Palm & Company, The Lazy Lizard, and The Juggling Fish stores in late 2011. “I’ve always loved the expression ‘biba lekker’ (life is good) because it describes so many different elements in our daily lives that are positive,” Jodi shares. A second line of T-shirts, “100% Dushi,” has also been launched and is also very popular. Website: www.shopping-aruba.com.
