Por Trás da Pelican House
EM ENTREVISTA COM AS FUNDADORAS
India Holmes & Bella Valenzia
Num mundo onde o fast design e a produção em massa ocupam frequentemente o centro das atenções, a Pelican House destaca-se — uma marca enraizada na arte de contar histórias, na criatividade e na colaboração ética. Fundada por India Holmes e Bella Valenzia, a Pelican House é muito mais do que um simples estúdio de design.
Sentámo-nos com as duas mentes criativas por detrás da marca para saber mais sobre o seu percurso — desde um encontro inesperado na Índia até aos desafios de construir um negócio com propósito, desde o zero. Nesta entrevista sincera, Bella e India partilham as origens da Pelican House, o que as motiva a nível criativo e ético, e como conseguiram manter-se fiéis à sua visão enquanto evoluem num panorama de design em constante mudança.
“HOW DID YOU MEET, AND HOW DID THE IDEIA FOR PELICAN HOUSE COME ABOUT? WAS IT SOMETHING YOU PLANNED OR MORE SPONTANEOUS?
Pelican House began its journey in Rajasthan in 2021, where our founder Bella Valenzia was living at the time. With a background in Art History, Bella has always been drawn to the stories behind objects - the human hands, heritage, and histories that bring them to life. Immersed in India’s rich world of textiles and artisanal craft, she became increasingly aware of a gap in the global interiors market: while beautiful products were everywhere, the people behind them were often invisible. That realisation sparked a mission — to create a brand that told the makers’ stories with honesty, creativity and care.
Shortly after, Creative Director India Holmes joined the fold. India had spent 7 years as Design Director at de Gournay, working with an array of luxury brands and hundreds of artisans across India and China. When she and Bella met, there was an instant alignment of values - a shared belief in the power of design, storytelling and ethical collaboration.
Together, they began shaping a new kind of creative studio: one that champions artistry, elevates the people behind it, and makes objects that last. We believe excellent design is a force for good - and Pelican House is a celebration of that idea.
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DO YOU REMEMBER THE EXACT MOMENT PELICAN HOUSE WAS BORN? WHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE IN MAKING IT REAL?
It was a dream that had been quietly forming for years, but it finally came into focus on a beach in Goa during Covid in 2021. That’s where the first seeds were properly planted - and the vision hasn’t really changed since. We knew what we wanted to build, and we’ve stayed true to it.
Bringing it to life, however, was anything but simple. It took grit, conviction, and a lot of long nights. During lockdown, Bella travelled solo across India to understand the deeper realities of the craft industry - going far beyond the usual circuits. She journeyed into tribal villages, crossed remote mountain regions, and met with NGOs, artisans and craft experts to better understand what was needed - and how Pelican House could make a meaningful difference.
That research laid the foundation for our mission: to work with intention, and to uplift the people at the heart of our process.
From there, Bella and India dove headfirst into the challenge of building a brand from scratch - often juggling multiple jobs, scraping together resources, and learning as they went. The process took two years of persistence, late nights, and a whole lot of belief. Pelican House officially launched in 2023 - and we’re incredibly proud of where it’s taken us so far.
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WHAT’S THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME ‘PELICAN HOUSE?’
In all honesty - “Pelican” is actually Bella’s silly nickname - but the name took on a deeper meaning when she learned more about the symbolism of the bird. Pelicans are known for being nurturing, giving, and deeply connected to their community - all traits we aspire to, both as a brand and as people. The name just felt right. It’s personal, warm and rooted in care.
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WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO INDIA, AND HOW DID THAT EXPERIENCE SHAPE THE BRAND?
A passion for design, people, craftsmanship and the magical spiritual beauty India has to offer - and the experience has shaped everything. India is where our story began, and the artisans we met there continue to shape our path. Their skill, spirit and heritage are at the very core of Pelican House.
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IN WHAT WAYS DO YOUR PERSONAL VALUES SHOW UP IN THE WORK YOU DO WITH PELICAN HOUSE?
In almost every way. Bella and India are naturally aligned in how they see the world, and that shared outlook infuses everything we do. Here’s what matters most to us:
RECIPROCAL
We believe in a business model from which each of our stakeholders can derive value that is greater than the sum of its parts. This means working with partners like Label Step to distribute ethical growth fairly. It means investing in on-the-ground relationships with our artisans to ensure our commitments are being honoured both at source and on delivery. It means weaving their worlds
ARTISANAL
We see ourselves as creative mediators between our buyers and artisans. Our model is driven by their creativity, and we are committed to preserving their past, present and future. We want to elevate their talents via our uncompromising approach to design, and tell their story at scale via the quality, reliability & robustness of our global supply chain.
ORIGINAL
From the celebrated mind of Creative Director India Holmes, Pelican House’s studio harmonises ethnicity & heritage with modernity & practicality to achieve a statement aesthetic - providing cachet for our clients, and a fresh, escapist experience for their customers. We’re passionate advocates that design is a lasting force for positive change, especially when the artisan is elevated. We never chase novelty for its own sake.
PERSONAL
We believe in creating unique personal experiences for our clients and their customers. It’s a deeply intimate journey for every stakeholder involved:
Our Artisans: We take an uncompromising approach to selecting our suppliers on ethical grounds. It means we must go to the source, look beyond price alone, establish meaningful connections, and celebrate craft and cultural individuality on both a personal and community level.
The Pelican House Team: Drawn together by a vocation for enduring quality, timeless style, ethical practices, an innate sense of luxury and excellent service, our mission is unavoidably personal to our team.
Community: We work with our clients to co-curate a bespoke style and aesthetic, while encouraging them to consciously engage with our artisans. By facilitating access to this community, we enable connections that give deeper meaning to our day to day lives.
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WHERE DO YOU DRAW INSPIRATION FROM — FOR YOUR DESIGNS, MATERIALS, AND OVERALL AESTHETIC?
We’re known for our bold, confident use of colour and our love of intricate patterns. We draw from a wide variety of palettes, materials and techniques - always grounded in a respect for heritage and a desire to create something fresh. The variety of materials, rug techniques and possibilities keeps us endlessly inspired.
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HOW DO YOU ADAPT YOUR STYLE TO CLIENT-SPECIFIC / CUSTOM PROJECTS WHILE MAINTAINING A COHESIVE DESIGN LANGUAGE?
After years of designing bespoke projects, we’ve developed an instinct for how to gently guide the creative process. You are following their vision but bringing it to life in a way that feels true to us.
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WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES IN GROWING THE BRAND SO FAR?
Like many founder-led brands, wearing many hats has been one of the biggest challenges - knowing what to prioritise when everything feels important. Staying focussed when exciting opportunities come our way - making sure we stay true to ourselves. We find our gut always takes us to the right place, so we always need to listen closely to that. Another ongoing focus is maintaining the highest level of quality. We’re constantly evolving and working closely with our weaving partners to refine, test and push the boundaries of what we can create.
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HOW DO YOU WANT PEOPLE TO FEEL WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE YOUR PRODUCTS?
We want them to feel a spark - that moment of knowing they’ve discovered something special. We hope our pieces feel original, thoughtful and boundary-pushing - while also being comforting in their quality, craftsmanship and care. We want them to feel confident in their decision, and excited about what they’ve brought into their home or project.
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WITH SO MANY TRENDS HAPPENING AT ONCE, HOW DO YOU CONTINUE TO EVOLVE WITHOUT LOSING YOUR BRAND IDENTIDY?
By not following trends - sticking to what we love and we think is timeless. We don't forecast which colours or styles might be coming into popularity, our rugs are made to last a lifetime, so we hope the design will too!
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WHAT CAN WE EXPECT FROM PELICAN HOUSE IN THE NEAR FUTURE? ANY LAUCHES COMING UP?
Where to start! We love collaborations — recent ones include Lucy Williams Home and the fashion brand Shrimps — and we’ve got some exciting new ones on the horizon. We’re also about to launch a new wave of in-house designs that showcase the full breadth of what we can do. We’ve been working on some brilliant hotel projects that we can’t wait to reveal — and later this year, we’ll be launching our new Woven Art Collection, which we’re incredibly excited about.
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Fontes e Fotografia: Pelican House
