In 2016, Valerie Garmino embarked on a journey to Montecristi, Ecuador, seeking beauty—and found a legacy. In the hands of master weavers, she discovered the soul of the Panama Hat: threads of heritage, honor, and ancestral art, woven from toquilla straw and time.
What began as admiration became a calling—to protect this sacred craft and uplift the artisans behind it. In 2018, a partnership was forged, a vision took shape, and Alma Montecristi was born: where tradition breathes, craftsmanship thrives, and every hat carries the spirit of its people.