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“Horses were my first great love, and like most great loves, they never leave you, says Cece Liu, the founder of LA-based horse-inspired modern luxury brand Cecilia. For Cece, that particular love took root early in Kansas City, where she was once a rider and a fine artist in the making, using charcoal and sketching horses she’d later build a brand around. Horses have always remained her constant, traveling with her from Kansas City to Shanghai, Hong Kong, New York, and eventually LA. “When I came back to riding in LA, I was surprised by how quickly it all returned. Not just the physical memory, but an emotional groundedness and clarity. Cecilia grew from wanting to hold onto that feeling. The brand is meaningful because it's the first thing I've built that is entirely personal. There's no distance between me and it.”
Cecilia is an equestrian world of Liu’s own making. Whether she’s ringside at horse shows or partnering with photographers like Sarah Lou Toscano on behind-the-scenes photos of the sport, Liu translates the details of equestrian life into design. From the custom buckles inspired by stirrup buckles, to the horseshoe pendants that double as protective bag feet, Liu brings seasoned riders, horse lovers, and those who’ve never set foot in a stable into the world of Cecilia. For Liu, Cecilia is not built on borrowed equestrian aesthetics, but rather the relationship and practice behind it.
That authenticity runs through her gift recommendations for new riders, too. Alongside practical investments like a quality helmet or saddle, Liu recommends good horsemanship and keeping a riding journal, habits that build the same groundedness and love for the sport. It’s the same instinct behind Lius’s approach to creating Cecilia: personal and timeless.
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1.
BECKY KIM: Hi Cece! You’ve lived in so many places around the world: Shanghai, Kansas City, NYC, Hong Kong, and now LA. Having been immersed in so many different cultures, what do you appreciate the most about the way it’s shaped you?
Cece Liu: Growing up between cultures meant for me never fully feeling like I "belonged" anywhere—and I've come to see that as a gift rather than a loss, although a sense of self identity and "home" was difficult for many years. But what it gave me is a deep comfort with observation and listening. You learn adaptability. You learn to read a room differently. You notice texture, gesture, the way people interact with a space and with each other. I think that instinct lives in everything I do—the attention to what something feels like, not just what it looks like. Each place left something different in me: Kansas City gave me horses, and a groundedness I return to. New York taught me pace and ambition. Shanghai gave me my history, an appreciation for where I came from, and pride in tradition. Hong Kong taught me resilience, and gave me an unparalleled energy and excitement for life. And now LA is teaching me to slow down, to connect with myself again, and to celebrate what comes out of it.
The Pénélope, a leather pouch to keep all your essentials together
Cece at the barn!
The perfect daily bag, the LEONORA, named after the British-Mexican surreal artist
2.
BK: Your love of horses dates back to your childhood in Kansas City, and has been rekindled since moving to LA. How did your love of horses become the foundation of Cecilia, and why is building this brand so meaningful for you?
CL: Horses were my first great love, and like most great loves, they never leave you. I starting riding as a child in Kansas City and then life happened—cities, careers, decades—and the horses receded into the background. I would still ride whenever I could, but that was really only on holidays. When I came back to riding in LA, I was surprised by how quickly it all returned. Not just the physical memory, but an emotional groundedness and clarity.
Cecilia grew from wanting to hold onto that feeling. The brand is meaningful because it's the first thing I've built that is entirely personal. There's no distance between me and it.
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3.
BK: After over a decade building brands like Kate Spade and Esprit, how did you know it was the right moment to build something entirely your own?
CL: Honestly, I'm not sure you ever know for sure! At some point the pull becomes stronger than the hesitation. I'd spent years building worlds for other people—learning what makes a brand feel real, what makes it last, what makes someone feel genuinely seen—and I think I reached a point where I understood enough to do it for myself without it feeling reckless. There was also something about coming back to horses that clarified things. It reminded me what it felt like to care about something completely and I wanted to build from that place.
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4.
BK: You've talked about how horses taught you how to get back up when you fall, both literally and figuratively. For people who've never been around horses, what do you wish they understood about the equestrian world?
CL: Horses are real in a way that feels supernatural—you can't escape seeing yourself truly when you're around them. They don't respond to performance or pretense —they respond to your actual energy, your actual intention. You can't fake calm with a horse. You can't talk your way out of fear. That accountability is humbling, and it changes you. I think people sometimes see the equestrian world from the outside and assume it's about nothing but an expensive sport and status—which is not totally untrue, it takes a lot of money to participate and succeed professionally. But the real thing, the relationship at the center of it all, can make you the most honest version of yourself.
Cece's Favorite Gift Recommendations
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5.
BK: If you could gift someone a moment in your life to experience, what would it be?
CL: I have to give a little context here: when I was thirteen and asked what I wanted for my birthday, it was a hard decision between a saddle or a Kate Spade black Sam bag. She was a hometown hero (KC!) and I followed her career and the brand very closely. Fast forward a decade, I was working for Kate Spade in the marketing department. One day, she plopped down on the seat next to me after she finished with a showroom appointment and asked me what I thought about Hillary Clinton. We chatted for just a few minutes, nothing having to do with work but foundational in so many aspects.
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6.
BK: What's the most seen you've ever felt from a gift someone gave you?
CL: In the first year we were dating, my husband gave me riding lessons for my birthday. It was my first foray back into regular riding since I was a kid, and for a number of reasons I had been putting it off since I'd moved to LA. Between the pandemic and the daunting process of finding the right barn, trainer, and horse—somehow my husband surmised correctly that the most important step to getting me back on a horse was just taking one.
7.
BK: What are some of your favorite gifting traditions?
CL: I like giving gifts for no reason than "I saw this and thought of you." It lands differently than a birthday gift, or a Christmas present. And I have a tradition of writing actual notes — not texts, not emails. A card, in pen. Thoughts and wishes made permanent and analog. I think the handwritten note might be the most underrated gift of all.
8.
BK: Where would you take someone to show them your version of LA?
CL: I think it would start with a morning hike in the Los Angeles Forest on the Switzer Falls trail, followed by either dim sum at Lunasia or the best pastries in the city at Fondry. Then maybe we would do an art crawl, there are some amazing independent as well as blue chip galleries in LA now, with fantastic programs—or maybe check out LACMA's new Geffen galleries. Then we would go take a nap on the beach (with adequate sun protection!) and go to dinner at RVR. The perfect LA day—from east to west!
9.
BK: Looking ahead, is there a material or category you haven't explored yet that you're especially excited about? And/or is there anything you're working on right now that you can share?
CL: I'm interested in the idea of things made to be used—objects that get better with time rather than being preserved or precious. Leather does that beautifully, but it can get heavy, which is why exploring canvas felt right for us. I'm also starting to explore recycled nylon (from plastic water bottles) that is even lighter than canvas and more durable (synthetics have a time and place!). I always want what we design to be genuinely something people reach for time after time.
10.
BK: Five or six things you'd recommend for someone just getting into riding:
CL:
1. Invest in a helmet first. A properly fitted, certified helmet is non-negotiable and worth spending on. K one (with MIPS) and Kask brands are favorites!
2. Find a good instructor. The relationship with your teacher shapes everything at the beginning. Styles, priorities, and vibe varies tremendously between training programs.
3. Prioritize horsemanship. Spend time at the barn, even if it just means taking out horses to groom or graze. Your connection with your horse is everything, and the sooner you begin to feel it, the sooner you'll "get" it.
4. Learn that patience is the best gift of all. The learning curve is real, and the best riders are the most humble ones.
5. Keep a small journal. Every ride is different. Writing it down helps you track your progress in a sport where improvement is often invisible until it suddenly isn't.
6. Buy a good saddle. This one's an investment, but it can truly change your ride and even if you don't have your own horse, having your own saddle (with your own nameplate!) can make you feel like you do.
