Maria Elena Headpieces
Our Brand
Your Next Family Heirloom
The history of Maria Elena Headpieces is not just the story of a business, but the story of a family. Over a decade ago, Maria Elena created her very first headpiece as a mother’s gift to her daughter Marile to wear on her wedding day. This headpiece was not just an accessory, but was and is a precious family heirloom that will be passed down through the generations of their family.
Today, Maria Elena and Marile wish to share this gift with brides everywhere to sell you headpieces that were created with the same love and commitment that Maria Elena had when she created Marile’s bridal headpiece, and to provide you with the beautiful design, excellent quality and unsurpassed customer service that we are committed to at Maria Elena Headpieces.
The Designer
Maria Elena
Maria Elena Fuentes, the visionary founder and owner of Maria Elena Headpieces and Accessories, hails from the vibrant city of Habana, Cuba. Her journey is intricately woven with a rich artisanal heritage, shaped by the creative influence of her mother, Carmela, who was a skilled childrenswear designer. Despite the artistic thread running through her family, Maria Elena initially charted a different course. Faced with pivotal life decisions, she and her husband, Raul Fuentes, embarked on a courageous journey to escape Cuba. During those early years, Raul faced political prisoner in Cuba, and Maria Elena, displaying unwavering resilience, single-handedly cared for their daughter, Marile Lopez, during the formative years of Marile's life in Spain.
While Maria Elena's early years were marked by significant challenges and life-altering decisions, she demonstrated exceptional adaptability and resilience. In Spain, as Marile was growing up, the family faced financial constraints, and Maria Elena, with her creative ingenuity, designed and sewed clothing for Marile, from Halloween costumes to prom dresses. Despite the limited resources, Maria Elena's determination and talent not only provided for her daughter but laid the foundation for her future in the world of design. Maria Elena's entrepreneurial spirit led her to study accounting, and she subsequently built a successful career in the field. It was in the pursuit of her daughter's unique vision for a wedding headpiece that Maria Elena's latent creative instincts found expression. Crafting an elaborate and distinctive piece for Marile's wedding set in motion the inception of Maria Elena Headpieces and Accessories.
Today, Maria Elena stands at the helm of a globally renowned brand, celebrated for its exquisite craftsmanship and timeless designs. Her journey, rooted in both personal and creative triumphs, showcases the transformative power of passion and determination. Maria Elena Fuentes continues to be an inspiration, not only through her enchanting creations but also as a testament to the indomitable spirit that fuels dreams into reality.
Meet Our Team
Learn about our experienced employees within the bridal industry.
Gisele Del Busto
Fashion & Sales Director
Initiative! Drive! Success! These are a few of many qualities Gisele Del Busto has contributed here at Maria Elena Headpieces and Accessories for the past 17 years. Gisele has been loving, talking, and breathing fashion since early in her career. Del Busto began her career as a Model with prior positions in Condo Sales and Management. Several years later she met Maria Elena Fuentes and her daughter, Marile Lopez, at New York Bridal Fashion Week; they rapidly connected, forming a bond that is now 19 years strong.
Fulfilling many roles such as Sales, Marketing, Management, and Fashion Director alongisde many others, is how Del Busto cultivated herself in the company; making it the household name it possess today. Over the years, Gisele single-handedly introduced and showcased Maria Elena Headpieces collections in over hundreds of boutiques, not only in the USA, but in Europe, Latin America, Canada, and Asia as well.
Brides adore being styled by Del Busto at trunk shows not only because of her keen eye for style, but for her outgoing personality. She fiercely leads our Sales and Fashion department, which includes, but not limited to, continuously leading successful electrifying campaigns, while also staying ahead of trends. In doing so she continues to elevate our brand and products, which explains how Gisele locates the perfect next step for Maria Elena Headpieces and Accessories.
Gisele's passion as well as magnetic flair is the reason it has been decided by Maria Elena that Gisele Del Busto will partially own Maria Elena Headpieces and Accessories with her granddaughter Annia Elena Lopez.
Annia Elena Lopez
Marketing & Communications Director
At Maria Elena Headpiece and Accessories, our mantra is to create heirloom-quality pieces that can be passed down for generations to come. This philosophy extends to our business as well. Meet Annia Elena Lopez, the future of MEH. As the first granddaughter of Maria Elena, Annia was born into a family of talented and hard-working women, inheriting her grandmother's undying sense of style and love for her craft. Growing up in a Cuban/Puerto Rican household, Annia's upbringing shaped her into a strong, bold young woman, always leading with compassion, determination, and heart.
Annia graduated from the prestigious University of Miami in May 2023 with a major in Marketing and a minor in Strategic Communications. Her mother and grandmother have been her biggest influences. In addition to overseeing all aspects of MEH's marketing and communications, Annia also delves into design and has already created several bridal and ready-to-wear earrings.
Under Annia's leadership, MEH is entering a new era where tradition, values, and taste remain intact while incorporating an elevated sense of trends in bridal and ready-to-wear fashion.
In her free time, Annia loves spending time with her dogs and traveling, particularly to fashion capitals in Europe. She is an avid reader of case studies and a listener of various fashion and business podcasts. Annia is also passionate about helping local small businesses by providing free marketing consulting tips and tricks.
Annia's greatest desire is to lead MEH with class and efficiency, expanding her grandmother's legacy into a world-renowned bridal and fashion accessory conglomerate. She believes that just as the headpieces and accessories themselves become heirlooms, she, too, will become a legacy of her grandmother's vision.