Behind the Scenes - NINAKURU

Behind the Scenes

The people, places and spaces that inspired our latest lookbook

“It’s all about simplicity.”

That was Ninakuru founder and designer Jennifer Moray’s guiding principle for our latest photoshoot that features a mix of bestsellers as well as new pieces from our Woven Bags collection that you can now find in our Shop. “The theme is romance – a love and connection with nature and California,” she says.

So it only made sense to kick off our three-part shoot in Ninakuru’s home base of Ojai, California. Our little West Coast hamlet has no shortage of beautiful landscapes, but our inspiration sparked at a hilltop estate that perfectly blends modern with rustic, much like our design ethos at Ninakuru. “There was no better place,” Jennifer explains. “I love how this home mixes luxury with country, and that’s the same feel I wanted for the shoot.”

Stunning backdrops

Part one began in the home’s outdoor areas, with photographer Michael snapping shots of models Donna and David by mature olive trees, stunning agave plants and a modern river rock-lined pool set against the gorgeous Topa Topa Mountains.

California Dreamin'

By sunset, our team headed to the coast for our second location, shooting at Loon’s Point in Carpinteria near Santa Barbara. “Loon’s is one of our favorite stretches of beach on the Central Coast,” Jennifer says. “It’s mainly a local’s spot so it’s not usually crowded, and the way the sun lights up the sandstone cliffs at sunset – it’s like a postcard. The entire vibe perfectly encapsulates the California lifestyle.”

Golden Hour

For both vignettes, Jennifer pulled inspiration from the natural surroundings. She chose earth tones and sustainable natural fabrics such as linen and cotton streamlined to fitted silhouettes to pair with Ninakuru pieces from Ninakuru’s Woven Bags and Panama Hat collections.  “Decades ago, people would wear hats with suits and formalwear, but you can make hats casual, whether you’re hanging out by the pool or taking a walk by the beach. I wanted to show people that you can be stylish and comfortably casual at the same time.”

Create. Always.

While we’re dreaming up fresh inspiration for our next collections, we hope you’ve enjoyed a peek behind the lens of our most recent collaborations.