Chevere Means Cool

Alba is the founder and creative behind Mariana by Alba, the corset brand that is taking over NYC. Whether you’ve seen her pieces at Tumbao on Orchard St. or on an online editorial, once you see one of her pieces you can’t stop thinking about them. So, I had to ask Alba to come on Chevere Means Cool and tell us some more about her story.

Mariana by Alba is a space for creativity that almost started as an outlet for her to be playful and use some of the sewing skills she learned from her grandma. This made-to-order pieces are crafted by hand between New York and Mexico from natural fibers and deadstock materials, making them all extremely unique. Her brand grew organically and she’s ready to introduce a new collection with inventive takes on the classic corset, redefining what this historical piece has normally been associated with. She wants people to feel empowered and sensual when they were her pieces, and mostly have fun with them! Alba has a vibrant aura to her that immediately makes you want to befriend her and this energetic, genuine charisma really translates to her brand.

Today's guest is Diego Purizaga, the creative behind Bendito del Perú. Bendito is a brand that focuses on organic Peruvian cotton basic t-shirts. What started with a simple plain black shirt, and it's counterpart in white, has grown into a beautiful community connecting Perú with Copenhagen, and Barcelona, and many others across the world.

Diego started his journey in PR, and later founded Bendito del Perú as the project that felt naturally more aligned with him and his search for a bigger purpose and home. We chat about how he went from PR to launching this brand, how it's evolved since starting during the pandemic, and how he has always made it about community and being real.

Mariana Vergara is the founder of Merci C'est Vintage, and the creative director and designer of Marlies Grace. Both of these projects combine her love for vintage and timeless design. Whether it's through sourcing archival pieces for Merci, or finding inspiration for the next collection of Marlies, she makes it a point to stay true to her personal style. As a Colombian woman who has made Paris her home, a lot of her inspiration comes from her heritage and her current surroundings, and in the end, for her it's all about building community and connecting with people who will get just as excited about a vintage gem as she does. She's created a beautiful world around Merci and Marlies and we're so excited to welcome her to CMC.

Danielle Juliao is the founder of Concordia, a creative studio and pop up gallery space in New York City. She focuses on highlighting Latin American emerging artists by giving them the space to show their work in somewhat of an untraditional gallery experience. With Concordia, everyone is encouraged to visit the space and join this community that goes beyond just the physical gallery space. Whether it's through artists chats, dinners, and other events like wine or mezcal tastings, Dani wants you to feel comfortable coming in and asking questions about the art, and move away from the idea that art is only for a certain type of audience.

Nathalie Martínez is the creative behind Odissea, an ethical jewelry brand inspired by the details, shapes and colors found in nature. Born in Mexico, it was always important to Nathalie to give back to her community, which led her to partner with artisans in Taxco, Mexico, where her pieces are carefully crafted following old techniques passed on from generation to generation—the importance of craftsmanship is present in everything she does.

Tintorería is a multi-layered project that focuses on showing the importance of natural fibers, natural dyes, and artisanal practices. Maria Romero, founder of Tintorería, shares the story behind this project and the journey it took to get to where the brand is now. Through El Closet, she has created a capsule collection focused on clean lines and silhouettes made with precious and natural materials—in the end, clothing acts like a second skin and the materials we're choosing to wear matter.

Today’s episode is part of our Sobremesa series— which for those of you who might be new to CMC or haven’t listened to a previous Sobremesa episode, we bring together a group of creators from all kinds of backgrounds, we sit down for a delicious dinner, and stay for a meaningful conversation. 

Welcome back to our regularly scheduled programing :) This time we have Emma Larimer joining us. She's the creative mind behind Everyone's Mother, a beautiful brand I came across here in NY thanks to my friend Lau, who introduced me to Emma's belts and bags that immediately had me wanting to learn all about the story behind the brand. Everyone's Mother is a true labor of love, which you can see from all the details that go into creating these pieces—from sourcing pre-existing fibers, to making everything by hand which in turn makes each piece unique and one-of-a-kind, to being intentional about not wasting anything (she literally makes pillow fillings out of any scraps that can't be used for other designs!), and more. Talking to Emma was amazing and truly insightful...isn't it great when we hear from people who take the time to do their research?

In this episode we chat about why she chose to be so intentional with her creations, her journey leaving the corporate world to start her own business, and how she's adjusting to match the growth that she's seeing with Everyone's Mother. It's a special story for sure! I hope you enjoy listening x

We hosted a live podcast in collaboration with Haus Label where we sat down with stylists Alexis Badiyi and Dione Davis, and with Haus Label and Haus Agency founder, Karina Trofimova. The conversation was all about their creative journeys, diving deep into what it really means to be a stylist and everything that goes on behind the scenes. We tap into Karina's entrepreneurial path to building Haus Label and also share some advice for those thinking about a career in fashion. We talk a lot about the concept of outfit repeating, which lives at the core of Haus Label— what does this look like in practice? How do Dione and Alexis embrace this practice in their own personal styles?

We're joined by Sabrina Reales, founder of Sel•Aer, on today's episode. Sel•Aer is all about helping emerging designers grow and reach their full potential—whether thats through brand development or wholesale support, Sabrina and her team work hand-in-hand with them to make sure that they have a long lasting footprint in the fashion industry.

We chat about her journey starting in retail, moving on to wholesale, and eventually becoming an entrepreneur, and how each stage of her life added to where she is today. The impact that an agency like Sel•Aer can have on these designers is quite significant, and having someone who genuinely cares so much about the brands and their success makes an even bigger difference (which is one of the many reasons why Sel•Aer is so unique!) It was incredibly inspiring to hear from Sabrina and get a glimpse into how her creative mind works.

We're joined by DJ and model Gilly Chan on today's episode of Chevere Means Cool! Gilly is hard to describe because she's one of the most multifaceted creators I know, which makes this episode a really special one. We dive into her journey as a model and becoming a DJ, and how it was a challenge to stay true to herself while navigating quite complex industries. Both music and fashion can be quite tough so Gilly really makes a case for being unapologetically yourself, being confident in your personality and who you are inside because at the end of the day, people want to work with people. Our conversation was really inspiring and I hope it leaves you with some insightful thoughts and eagerness to be kind to yourself :) Thank you for listening!

Super excited to have Nia Thomas as our guest today. Nia is the founder and creative mind behind Nia Thomas, an ethically made, Black woman-owned independent fashion label that celebrates the female form.

Her pieces are so beautiful, not only based on their construction and design but also because of the materials she uses. Everything is sustainably produced in NYC, Mexico, and Peru from cellulose-based fibers and plant-based dyes as a zero-waste alternative to an often frivolous industry. Nia created her brand with very intentional values that revolve around responsible production —she’s really set the bar for what it means to be a young designer that is making meaningful work and is also revolutionary. After talking to her I also have such a better understanding and appreciation for everything that goes on behind the scenes for designers, and truly appreciate her candid reflections and transparency when talking about some of the challenges she’s faced.

In this episode we talk about these challenges, the role that her community has played in the growth of the brand, the importance of staying true to her ethics and values, and she also shared some solid advice for people who might be thinking of starting out in this industry.

Today we’re shifting gears a little bit away from fashion and towards the beauty industry. My good friend Arjan is joining me for this episode to talk about Jolie— a beauty wellness company that purifies the quality of your water for better skin, hair, and overall wellbeing. Because it all starts with water! Jolie has designed a beautiful filtered shower head as their first product, and after learning more about it I had to share the full story.

In this episode we talk about Arjan's upbringing and how he was always inspired by hospitality, and we also get into what it’s like being someone who is both left brain and right brain and how this influenced his career and way of viewing life. We chat about the element of water as their big inspiration when it comes to marketing and partnerships. Regardless of what you’re working on, this was such an insightful episode and I think all creators will find at least one thing that they can relate to — personally for me it was also a great reminder to stay focused.

Hope you learn as much as I did and of course, be ready to write down some words of wisdom by Arjan who I think I can now confidently say gives the best advice—enjoy!

Welcome to our Spring Sobremesa. Take a sit and get comfortable as you join this dinner party between new and old friends. Chevere means cool is all about meaningful conversations, and I grew up having the most amazing conversations at the sobremesa—that time after a meal where you're just enjoying the company of others at the table, chatting, drinking an espresso or aperitif, and just having moving conversations. So this dinner series is inspired by that, and serves as a way for our community to connect in a more intimate way! Hope you enjoy this little bonus episode.

Gracias to everyone who had a hand in making this night possible:

We’re back with another episode and this week we have one of my favorite Latina-owned brands, Santos by Monica. The brand has been on my radar for a while because of their sleek designs, but especially for their innovative materials and mindful approach to production, resulting in really beautifully crafted bags and ready to wear. Everything is made-to-order and produced locally in the US, Monica doesn’t believe in seasons and instead wants to challenge the fashion industry by producing timeless designs at a slower pace. Santos also plants a tree for every item sold, and you’ll hear more from Monica in this episode, but the mission of the brand spans across everything they do—from production, packaging, how they handle waste, labor, and their giving partners.

We chat about her leaving her full time job to launch her own brand, the alternative materials she uses, her commitment to slow production, and more. Enjoy!

Today’s guest is Marcelo Gaia, founder of Mirror Palais—a sustainable pre-order brand that celebrates women who inspire him. Since starting out in 2019, Mirror Palais quickly became an internet favorite and has been spotted on Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa, and Emily Ratajkowski, to name a few! But Marcelo is just getting started.

I’ve been eager to have Marcelo on CMC because his story is one that I really admire. His ability to dream big and stay true to his vision is a true testament to the success that surrounds the brand. And what I love the most is the community that he’s built and the loyal support that this community continues to show. In this episode, we chat about how he dreamed and built Mirror Palais, why it has always been important to produce in NYC and support the local garment district, where his inspiration comes from, and all about his New York Fashion Week debut. We also get into the brand’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity, as well as what’s in store for Mirror Palais this year.

This was a fun one, hope you enjoy it!

Today’s guest is Karina Trofimova, founder of Haus Agency and Haus Label. On the agency side, she works with emerging brands of all shapes and sizes, to help them reach their fullest potential—whether that’s through brand development, as a consultant, or as an in-house wholesale representative, her goal is to be that trusted partner to help elevate brands she believes in. And with all these learnings from years with the agency, she decided to take the leap and launch her own brand: Haus Label. A brand made up of timeless pieces for an active, outfit-repeating individual. each product is ethically produced in Latvia using fabrics created from recycled ocean materials. We talk about this and much more in todays episode, including her advice to others who might be thinking of venturing into this space.

Karina is an incredible, fearless woman who I'm lucky to call a friend, so it was really special to sit down at her beautiful studio and record this episode, hope you love it!

Follow Karina and Haus:

Happy 2023 and welcome back to more CMC! I’m so excited to share todays episode with Genoveva Pedrero, co-founder and Head of Design at de María—an accessories line that is rooted in tradition and collaboration with artisans in Mexico, where Geno is from. de María is a celebration of years of craftsmanship and techniques passed on from generation to generation. On this episode we chat about her journey starting the brand, and why it was so important to create something that celebrates her culture. 

Thank you for listening and for your support—hope you love this episode! 

x

Today's episode is all about art, heritage, culture, and fashion. Ana joins us to talk about her brand, Gala Octuvre—known for its unique interpretation of the traditional linen Guayabera. This made-to-order concept is the result of viewing Cuban roots through the eyes of our modern world. Ana celebrates everyone involved in the process of making these happen and shares her story and how Gala came to be.

On today's episode we have Claudia Frolova, a ceramicist with an eye for colorful, unique designs that have made us fall in love with her work. From olive bowls to checkered jars, and even a flower-shaped crudités platter, she creates playful objects that are sure to lighten up our homes. She's quickly grown a loyal community in NYC, where she's based, so we wanted to sit down and learn all about how this journey started, what inspired her, and where it's going next. 

We have Houman Farahmand, founder of Ending Soon, on today's episode of CMC. Houman curates the most beautiful collections with pieces from all over the world, whether that's Paris, Milan, or the wonderful world of eBay, he's bound to have something you'll love. His ability to anticipate trends really makes Ending Soon stand out and gives us yet another reason to support independent brands like his when it comes to shopping for contemporary classics. 

On today's episode, we caught up with Cami, founder of Banzo—a Mexico City-based brand that creates pieces by deconstructing pre-existing garments to give them a new life. Cami will share what inspired her concept and how she built it, as well as why she chose to use upcycled materials and pay homage to her roots. Each piece is carefully handmade and one-of-a-kind. There's really nothing like it—hope you enjoy it! 

On today's episode, Dani chats with Mona, one of the three founders of GEMSUN. This brand is the ultimate homage to the beauty in our planet—everything they do is inspired by nature, by the hidden gems that can be found all around us. GEMSUN ethically produces and sources clothing with the health of our planet in mind. These three lifelong friends joined forces to put together their skills and passions and create something beautiful, and it's only the beginning for GEMSUN. 

We're back! And we're so excited to have Paz on today's episode to tell us all about her brand, NIM. This project is really special to us because it's a Peruvian brand that is really redefining what new brands look like, especially those based in Peru. NIM is all about working with what we already have, rather than creating from scratch. It's about finding beauty in giving pieces another chance—whether that's by swapping out a pocket or printing on existing materials, Paz and her sister, Maria Fe, have created something truly unique and we're thrilled to share their story on today's episode.