Culture Shock is an online accessories store based in the Caribbean island of Puerto Rico. Inspired by ancient traditions and cultures around the world, Culture Shock emerges as an initiative to educate the public about cultural diversity, and to promote native and small town craftsmanship through unique and timeless pieces of art.
Each piece is handcrafted from unexpected materials which are transformed into distinctive forms. That way it shares the stories of different cultures and its people. Our selection includes conversation pieces that can take you from “casual-to-glam” and transcend seasons.
Embrace the beauty of cultural diversity in design and timeless fashion! Shop with purpose at Culture Shock from anywhere in the world.
The name Culture Shock comes from the impression and feeling brought about when you see something new and different from what you are used to, something unusual. The feeling you get when you find a new accessory, which you find different and captivates you and has a history behind it, can be compared to the emotion and euphoria you feel when you visit a country for the first time and experience a new culture.
In Puerto Rico we have a lot of designers of accessories that deserve to be supported, but I do not necessarily want to limit the offer of Culture Shock to local designers because I recognize that outside our little island there is a lot of talent to grow and evolve. On occasions, you have to look outside your own limits.
I travel when I can to find what is truly unique from each region, and discover the cultural richness within every environment. For me it is important to take into account the aesthetic harmony of each piece. Ancestral traditions and culture inspire our artisans every day to offer our customers pieces that are unique and produced in sustainable ways, and that represent the best of each country.
The pieces I offer are very different. They are handmade with a lot of effort and love by these designers and hand craftsmen from around the world. They are not mass- produced or what is known as fast fashion*. Every product has a history, the history of its creator. Behind every piece there is a creative spirit inspired in everything that surrounds them. Behind every piece lies the work of a passionate person that shares his sensibility, his imagination, his abilities, and his technical knowledge proper of his culture. When you elect a product made by hand you help preserve these traditions that go from generation to generation, and you contribute to the diversity of lifestyles.
MISSION
Culture Shock’s Mission is to promote economic advancement by contributing to the development of sustainable and self-reliant communities that depend on their craftsmanship to elevate their living standards. We want to help sustain all the artisans, craftspeople and families that make up our community by bringing greater exposure to the work and by extending their reach.
Thanks for your support.
**Fast fashion is a contemporary term used by fashion retailers for designs that move from catwalk quickly to capture current fashion trends. ... This philosophy of quick manufacturing at an affordable price is used in large retailers.