You can't go wrong with a clothing line whose sole purpose is to spread a positive message of peace, love, and happiness. When Cuban-born creator and visionary, Alina Villasante, started hosting a 'Love Party' for friends in her living room just for the sheer pleasure of getting friends together to swap her trademark symbol t-shirts, she never imagined that a side hobby would become a global fashion phenomenon.
At the intersection of glamour and comfort, Peace Love World is not just about clothes, it's a way of life- one that is always inspiring the modern day woman to give back while looking incredibly chic in the process. And it's not just Miami locals sporting her inspirational threads. Celebrities from Oprah to Jennifer Lopez and even the Kardashian clan, have been spotted donning some of the line's comfy zip up hoodies and cotton tanks. One of her pieces even made it all the way to the Oscars, when host Ellen de Generes, kicked back in her very own 'Happy' hoodie.
Now with a Pharrell (the king of Happy) collaboration and a newly inked NBA deal to design womenswear for all 30 teams, Alina and her 'little passion project that could' are ready to take over the world. This very savvy and talented business woman took time from her work travels to dish on how her love of Miami and family continue to be the driving force behind her hard-working success. Oh, and she mentions some big names too.
FSF: First off, I want to say Congrats
on your success and being able to bring a positive message of love into
people's closets. And to think this all evolved from a party in your own living
room! When did this idea become bigger than just something you shared with
close friends and family?
PLW: I’ve
always loved fashion but Peace Love World began as a hobby. I wanted to make
gifts for my closest friends and the special women in my life. While I was
still working in the aviation industry my children went out and sold Peace Love
World and their sales surpassed any expectations I had. From there we opened
our first store with the help of my best friend, Alex Abril, in 2009.
FSF: How much does Miami influence your
style and the pieces in your line?
PLW: I
love living in Miami. My style and designs are influenced by a lot of things such
as people and growing up as a Latin woman in New York, but my life in Miami is
a key influence. One of my favorite styles, “I love Sundays”, was inspired by
spending time outside and on the water with my family. Even our NBA collection
is inspired by Miami! The success of our first designs for the Miami HEAT last
year were what inspired us to apply for an NBA license. Now we’re designing
women’s apparel for all 30 NBA teams! Everything we design for Peace Love World
is about spreading peace, love and happiness and creating clothing that people
can feel chic, comfortable and relaxed in.
FSF: Countless celebs like the
Kardashians, Jennifer Lopez, and Sofia Vergara have been seen sporting the
brand. Talk about a surreal moment! Describe the feeling of seeing something
you created make it's way to mainstream fashion?
PLW: Every
time I see someone wearing Peace Love World, whether it’s a celebrity like
Jennifer or Oprah or just someone I see across the street, it feels really
special. I honestly am still excited every time I see someone wearing our
brand.
FSF: Do you remember the first celeb
that wore your brand?
PLW: The
first celebrities to wear Peace Love World were Jeanine Mason when she was on So You Think You Can Dance and Jennifer
Lopez.
PLW: Our
collaboration with Pharrell and decision to design NBA-licensed apparel were
both very organic. Pharrell discovered our “Happy” hoodie through Ellen. He
ended up taking hers and we sent her a new one that she ended up wearing at The
Oscars. That was a huge moment for us! Pharrell and I collaborated after he
came out with his hit “Happy.” It was such a natural fit and we were able to
debut them on the United Nations’ International Day of Happiness.
As
far as the NBA, I’ve always viewed female professional sports fans as important
customers. Before we signed our NBA license we had already been successful with
collections for the Miami HEAT and the Dallas Cowboys. It’s really exciting to
take that aspect of our business to the next level and I’m looking forward to
debuting designs for the other teams for next season.
FSF: Looking back at your career, what
has been the biggest learning lesson in your journey?
PLW: Every day is a learning experience. When Peace Love World started I had no experience in the fashion industry. We learned about dying fabrics and the right threads to use and we definitely made mistakes here and there. We’ve come a long way in five years and I attribute that to our team. It’s not about being an expert in everything. I work alongside the best people and trust our team.
FSF: What do your kids think of your
positive success? Do they love wearing mom's designs?
PLW: My
kids are amazing. They wear Peace Love World as much as I do and I’m blessed to
work with them. We are very proud of how far we’ve come as a family and as a
business. They were the ones who inspired me to pursue this business; I really
couldn't be doing it without them.
FSF: When you aren't designing, what do
you love to do on your downtime in the Magic City?
PLW: To be
honest, I am always designing. I come up with ideas in the car, on planes, it
never stops. I lead a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally. I like
to exercise in the morning and for fun I love having my whole family over or
going out for dinners. One of the best things about Miami is the weather so we
love being outside. A good run is fun and I love paddle boarding.
** To shop the latest Fall collection, visit the site at www.peaceloveworld.com **
In style,
Kat
