Mallorca is full of creative talent — but finding it, recognising it and knowing how to work with it isn’t always straightforward. For Leela Romeo, that gap became impossible to ignore. Born on the island to Mallorcan and English roots, and shaped by both local tradition and international experience, she has spent her life moving between worlds. Through Mallorca Makers, the non-profit association she co-founded, she is working to connect local artisans and designers with the people shaping Mallorca’s built environment — creating relationships where craft, culture and contemporary life can grow together.

How did the idea for Mallorca Makers come about?

Mallorca Makers — or MA.MA — began with a simple question: how can we better connect new residents, especially hoteliers and developers, with local artisans and designers?

Through my own work on hospitality projects, I noticed that hotels often invest heavily in art and decoration, yet local craft and culture are frequently overlooked. I wanted to make it easier to commission local talent — transparently, professionally and with confidence.

So the idea was to go grow a values-based network that brings together interior design professionals and local makers, so that Mallorca’s creative talent becomes a natural part of how the island develops.

We curate a professional directory of local makers, organise events and exhibitions, and create spaces for dialogue between the creative and business sectors. The aim is to make local talent accessible and recognised, so that choosing local becomes the standard, not the exception.

We’re a small but deeply connected group. Each person brings something different — from digitisation and branding to sustainability, finance and design. My role is to sustain the vision and coordinate the whole, making sure ideas turn into action.

You were born in Mallorca but come from mixed roots. How did your early years shape you?

I was born in Mallorca in 1980. My roots are both Mallorcan and English, and that dual identity has deeply shaped how I see the island and its people.

I studied Spa Management and Wellness, but my real education came through travel. Working and crafting with different cultures around the world gave me the depth I needed to start working with textiles.

My mother, Beverly Pugh, is a well-known raw food nutritionist on the island, and my father was a businessman. His family were butchers from Santa Catalina, one of Palma’s most traditional neighbourhoods, while my English grandparents came from Leeds and were among the first to open a British pub on the island in the 1960s. My parents met here and built a life surrounded by creativity, people and stories.

In many ways, I embody what my generation represents — a union of locals and expats. As Mallorca has changed, with land being sold, new residents arriving and more hotels opening, my concern for preserving culture and heritage became sharper. I kept asking myself how these worlds could be better connected.

What did you want to be when you were a child?

A veterinarian. Our house was always full of animals, and I loved taking care of them.

Where do you live now, and why?

I live in Sencelles, a village that’s still deeply connected to tradition and local life. It preserves something essential about Mallorca — simple, grounded and real.

How did you find your professional path?

Working with textiles, fibres and natural materials has always felt intuitive — it’s how I connect emotion, memory and nature.

Over time, my work as a textile artist led me to collaborate with architects and interior designers, creating site-specific installations and handmade pieces for spaces designed to evoke calm and reflection.

What do you enjoy most about this work?

The people. Every collaboration brings a new story — from artisans who have preserved techniques for generations to designers reinterpreting tradition in contemporary ways.

I also love the transformation process: seeing raw material, emotion and intention become something tangible and meaningful.

Looking back, what moments shaped you most professionally — both the breakthroughs and the difficult periods?

Very clearly, my first major professional milestone came when I was commissioned to create two enormous wall hangings — seven by four metres each — along with five smaller pieces for an event hall. We rented a large space and worked intensively for six weeks on the project for interior designer Isabela Claramunt at Club Marriott, Hacienda Son Antem. Both large pieces are still hanging there today, open to visitors. It was a huge challenge, and a real turning point for me.

At the same time, like many artists and entrepreneurs, I struggled to balance creativity with management and sustainability. There were periods when funding was scarce and the path ahead unclear. After a series of professional and personal changes, I reached a point where I felt empty — as if I had given everything but lost my direction. I was constantly working, creating and supporting others, but not taking care of myself. Passion had quietly turned into pressure.

I found my way back by returning to the basics — to nature, silence and wool. I began weaving again purely for myself, letting the rhythm of my hands guide me back to presence. My daughter was also a great teacher during that time. Being with her reminded me of what truly matters. Slowly, through art and stillness, I rebuilt.

That period taught me that balance is not a luxury — it’s a necessity. Creativity only thrives when it’s nourished by calm and authenticity. And every breakdown carries a lesson. Mine taught me that the most important project I will ever manage is myself.

What are you most proud of?

Of creating bridges — between cultures, between people, between art and purpose. Mallorca Makers reflects everything I believe in: collaboration, craftsmanship and care for the place we call home.

What are your plans for this year?

To continue expanding the Mallorca Makers network, developing the digital directory, and advancing my artistic research project, Acoustic Wool Art, which explores the emotional and acoustic qualities of wool.

And your goal in life?

To create beauty with meaning — work and initiatives that nurture human connection, preserve culture and inspire more conscious ways of living and creating.