Headband design came as happenstance for Abigail Ricarte. Abigail’s story begins on a night as she was preparing to attend a friend's birthday party and realized that she was missing one vital piece – a pretty headband to disguise her hair, as it was in an awkward “growing out” phase. Not being able to find a suitable accessory that complemented her style, she took a detour to the craft store to buy supplies to make her own headband. Eager and excited, she rushed home and ended up making a dozen one-of-a-kind headbands. She never made it to the party.
Soon after, a friend received tickets to attend the taping of the Martha Stewart Show and extended an invitation to Abigail. She accepted without hesitation, as Martha Stewart has been her idol since she was a little girl. During the post-show Q&A session, Abigail raised her hand to ask Martha a question and to her surprise (and terror), she was chosen. She nervously asked Martha, "So what is the best tip you have for a young, aspiring entrepreneur?" Martha’s response was to read her book, Martha Rules, (Abigail had not, but did so soon after) and ended the encounter, wishing Abigail the best of luck. Abigail was transformed and impacted by Martha’s unwitting encouragement.
Upon returning home from the taping, Abigail realized that she wanted to turn her passion into her business – and Bambako was born.
Officially launched in February 2009, Bambako is a headband company where each design created is based on Rule #10 borrowed from Martha Rules: “Make it beautiful.”
Abigail primarily works with sumptuous satins, silk chiffons and grosgrain ribbons. Inspired by the juxtapositions of colorful textures and patterns – from photographs, travels, everyday objects, and street style – each headband is produced by hand for an artisan touch and the highest quality results. Abigail aims to create simple, pretty and vibrant designs at an accessible price point.
Bambako (pronunciation: bum-BAH-koe) is derived from Abigail’s nickname “bambina” and “ko,” which translates to “my” in Tagalog. In effect, she named her company, “my baby.”
Prior to launching Bambako, Abigail was a digital strategist and music blogger. Bambako is based in Morris Plains, New Jersey where Abigail works and resides.