Moya Annece and Ashley Cimone, co-founders of the Brooklyn-based accessories label Ashya, have forged a friendship through travel. During their trips—sans luxury resorts, all-inclusive packages, or tourists traps, to be clear—the duo endeavors to connect with their surroundings on a deeper level.

“We always say that when we go somewhere we behave almost like investigative journalists,” Annece laughed. “We’re genuinely eager to talk to locals and delve into their experiences.”

Naturally, their budding two-year-old brand (one of six 2018-2019 Elaine Gold Launchpad talents) began to take shape in 2014 as they journeyed through Kerala and Goa in south India.

“It was a transformative experience,” Cimone said. “We realized then that we wanted to pursue careers as designers, but also continue to explore the world and make that learning process a part of our purpose.”

Before heading east, Annece and Cimone searched, to no avail, for sophisticated belt bags that could withstand wear-and-tear and survive beyond trends. In the years following, the duo worked tirelessly to fill that void with sleek leather accessories that wrap around the body, freeing one’s hands to allow unrestrained motion.

This spring, Annece and Cimone have ventured outside of familiar territory, looking to Guatemala for inspiration. “We’ve always been really curious about the ancient Mayan culture because it’s survived for centuries,” Annece said revealing that they were in the country overseeing the production of pieces from their line last summer. “We were directed to Ignacio Ventura, a shaman priest who taught us more about this coexistence of ancient Mayan spirituality and Catholicism in present day Guatemala.”

Men of Maize, Ashya’s first experimental short film directed by Equator Productions founder Anthony Prince, explores this phenomenon through Ventura’s own voice.

“There’s a social aspect to sustainability and a part of that is not taking ownership of other people’s stories,” Cimone said, adding that film aims to illustrate how indigenous practices have been impacted by colonialism. “It feels right to have those in the culture, not us, tell the stories.”

The documentary also follows the Mayan creation legend (in which the gods fashion man out of yellow and white corn) with vintage reportage footage and traditional music from the region.

“Guatemalan culture is often associated with bright colors, prints, and tapestries,” Cimone added. “But we really connected to the Mayan culture’s roots in agriculture and its personification of the earth.”

In their spring collection, Annece and Cimone subtly reference that connectivity to the land through leathers dyed in warm shades of amber and gray cedar. The film however is entirely about sparking curiosity and encouraging viewers to approach travel as a means of learning.

“We want to give the lesser told stories a platform in Ashya,” Annece said. “Because ultimately, cultural connectivity is how we dispel prejudice and grow in appreciation for one another.”