Hecho by Helena aspires to fill a need for Latina products

Fernandez sells charms, cups and more to bring representation to the Latin culture. | Maria Caceres

Posted By: David Fortier August 20, 2024

By Maria Caceres

One day the goal is to own a large building named Helena’s Casita, where she will teach art to people with disabilities and sell products to represent Latin culture.

“I wanted to have more representation for my Latina people,” Helena Fernandez, owner of Hecho by Helena, said. She was one of the vendors at a recent block party sponsored by Yellow King Brews at the Bristol Bazaar off Race Street.

For the moment, Fernandez sells products by Latina designers.

“I would love for others to put their designs on totes and bottles,” Fernandez said. She started Hecho by Helena during the COVID19 pandemic, with the intention of representing the culture and to support Latina designers.

Fernandez said she currently only employs Latinas from around the state to sell their designs on tote bags, cups and more.

Hecho by Helena has several pop-ups throughout Connecticut. The business sells several types of stickers for people to choose from. | Maria Caceres

Hecho by Helena started as a stationary business during the COVID pandemic in 2020 and has since evolved into a Latin lifestyle brand where most of the products have Spanish sayings or empower Latin people.

“Nothing [gifts at the other stores] resonates with [people of her cultural backround],” she said. “[I felt like] I can do this. I can make this.”

Fernandez’s father is from El Salvador and her mother is Mexican and she said her business was a way to connect with them and help others have the same experience.

She had gained a social media following on TikTok and Instagram where people encouraged her to sell more products which led to her current business.

Fernandez said there has been a lot of positive feedback since that time.

“People have said they love the simple [and] non-bold everyday representation,” she said.

She said she has been asked by several people to teach art classes and hold more pop-ups and has been working to do more.

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