Our Story
Yumayo was born out of creative and personal curiosity.
Curiosity is at the heart of everything we do. We’re constantly asking questions and seeking answers about the craftwork, people and places that inspire us. We have passion for quality, craftsmanship and the personal connections we have with our customers and family-operated businesses we work with to make our thoughtful, small batch sandal collections.
Our sandals are made to travel, become part of your story, worn for many years to come, not sit in your closet and become part of seasons past. Our styles are classic, elegantly simple and are meant to effortlessly transition from day to night. They are perfect for days out strolling and curiously seeking what’s around the corner, long days of exploring concrete jungles or off the beaten path villages.
Our Creator & Designer
Defined by her values and authentic self—bold, fun and curious.
Jackie Leguizamo, our Creator and Designer, has always gravitated towards the warmth of the sun, a life of love and laughter and has an appreciation for different cultures—its people, art, colors, materials and textures. It seems fitting that through a personal journey, and curiosity to find her origins, she discovered a deep connection to the southwest town of Yuma, Arizona—the sunniest place on earth (Google it). The name Yumayo pays homage to this region and her love for sunny days.
Sandals have always been Jackie’s passion, and anyone that knows her, knows her love for them is nothing short of obsessive. With a background in fashion design and curiosity for finding the origins of a great sandal. She set off on a journey a few years ago during a vacation in Italy. On this trip she discovered, sourced and ultimately built the relationships needed to make sandals that speak to her aesthetic—casual sophistication, ethnically inspired, high quality and comfortable.
Our Products
Designed in Southern California and handcrafted in Tuscany, Italy.
Every sandal we design starts with beautiful materials and the story that inspired them. We then work closely with a small family run factory located in the heart of Italian leather culture to bring them to life.
Our sandals are made in small batches of vegetable-tanned leather by local craftsmen under the Tuscan sun that age beautifully with time and every wear. These artisans are expertly skilled, using techniques that have been refined over centuries of shoe-making. They are slowly made by hand, every piece of leather is touched and considered to make the best sandals for those that value quality and champion the craftsmanship of yesteryear.
Our Leather
Vegetable-tanned leather absorbs the traces of our life.
We only use vegetable-tanned leathers sourced from a Tuscan tannery consortium that works closely with the tanneries to ensure the quality and origin of the leathers. It also guarantees the leather is processed using non-toxic, natural tannins, in a production cycle that has a low impact on the environment.
If you are interested in learning more about our vegetable-tanned leather, and the ancient methods used to make it, please visit the Consorzio Vera Pelle Italiana Conciata al Vegetale website.