Founder Sees Oceans End Purses and Accessories As Link to the World

Since her acceptance to the newest Mana Up cohort, an African proverb has lingered in Danielle Gosiaco’s mind: If you want to get there fast, go alone. But if you want to get far, go together. She has yearned for the camaraderie of fellow business owners. “As an entrepreneur, you’re often isolated,” she says. “I feel that building alongside [my fellow cohort members] and being a part of a network is my missing link.”

Oceans End specializes in embroidered and embossed purses and accessories with an elevated island aesthetic. In the same way you’d see Kate Spade New York and Chanel Paris, founder and owner Danielle Gosiaco wants Hawaiʻi to be visibly represented on her products. It’s her way to honor the place where she grew up and is now growing her business while raising her daughters.

Credit: Aaron Yoshino

Gosiaco’s grandmother, Oma, taught her how to sew when she was in fifth grade. By then she was already cutting up fabric and clothes and sewing it all back together. Experimenting fashion came naturally to her. She made her prom dress during her senior year and upon graduation, earned a degree in fashion. Gosiaco later pursued tattooing, but after the birth of her first daughter, her trajectory shifted. She was unsure of her next step when her partner asked, “Why don’t you start sewing again?”

Rather than returning to clothing, she gravitated toward purses and accessories. But she needed a business name. After floating several ideas, she landed on Oceans End. It’s more than just a name. It’s representative of where she has come from, and a respectful nod to her multi-cultural background. Her mother is from Germany, her father from the Philippines, and her partner is Mexican. “With connections all over the world, we realized one thing that connects us all, the Oceans End.”

The business hasn’t just shaped Gosiaco’s career but her perspective as well. “It’s taught me grace. It’s taught me to let go of my ego and become a better person, It’s taught me that nothing’s so serious, there is always a solution, and to never lose focus on your why.”