Bio
As a pre-teen, Brazilian-native Walleska Tepping followed her mother’s motto of “nothing wasted, just transformed” by taking fabric bolts, buttons and fashion magazines to a local seamstress. Thus, began her first fashion endeavor and her journey as an artist.
Her adventure would have many twists — some simply in response to the universe's blessings and others guided by her passion for environmentalism — before she founded Walleska EcoChicc, a cutting-edge line of accessories and apparel co-created with women in an economically-depressed Brazilian community from recycled and sustainable materials.
Her journey took her to San Francisco as a new immigrant. Walleska created three-dimensional sculptures from body casts and co-founded the Brazilian cultural movement with 16 other artists in 1993.
Then, Walleska made the jump to Hawaii, where she owned a clothing boutique, worked as a modeling instructor and studied the Hatha, Iyengar, Kripalu and Ashtanga yoga traditions. Walleska became certified as a Kripalu yoga instructor and created Honolulu's first two hotel-based yoga programs in Waikiki. She volunteered for years as the host of the first local vegetarian television show — Tasty and Meatless —before moving to Dallas to work in the fashion industry.
Later, during a recuperative and spiritual trip to Brazil, Walleska discovered how to meld her social consciousness and artistic creativity in way that changed lives — all in her own distinctive, beautiful manner. Walleska met a group of women who merged traditional crafting techniques with recycled and sustainable materials. Instantly, she felt inspired and transformed. That first meeting lasted three hours. It ended with Walleska co-creating an accessory line made from soda pull tabs right there on the spot. In 2007, EcoChicc was born. Walleska worked with a driving desire to share her vision and the heartfelt urge to improve the community's socio-economic status.
Today, the newly introduced line includes different pieces from two Brazilian communities and almost 40 independent artists. Walleska ecochicc line includes earrings, purses and dresses made from recycled soda pop tops, re purposed fish skins and native Brazilian plants and seeds. Her clients live around the globe and agree her eye-catching designs make you feel good and look good wherever you live.
Walleska, 38, continues to lead production of Earth-friendly pieces from her headquarters in Dallas, Texas. She frequently returns to Brazil to work with new communities and uncover new sustainable mediums. She continues her transformative journey.