In the past few years, the fashion industry has been confronted with a challenging question: how can it continue to produce at its current rate without harming the planet? From Gucci to Burberry, heritage fashion houses have made a conscious effort to get rid of harmful practices - from the use of furs to unsustainable manufacturing processes. But a rising number of small business owners have taken the lead on what it means to manage a sustainable, eco-conscious brand and galvanize a clientele that cares about saving the planet, too. Impact designer Sami Miro of Sami Miro Vintage has made this the key to her entire business.
Based in downtown Los Angeles, Sami Miro Vintage was founded in 2016 out of Miro’s passion for second-hand thrifting. Any clothing she would find, she’d bring home and add her twist to it - a safety pin, a custom patch, or a new hem - catching the eyes of stylists, influencers, and celebrities alike on social media. With a recent surge of popularity for vintage clothing, her business came at the perfect time, but also as a larger conversation about fashion’s impact on our planet was taking place, “Sami Miro Vintage is a sustainable clothing company where eco-consciousness is the priority from beginning to end. That is the center of our ethos,” says Miro.
Sami Miro Vintage specializes in limited-run collections made from only up-cycled and vintage fabrics, minimizing waste. Their supply chain starts and ends in Los Angeles, giving them an extremely low carbon footprint.
The San Francisco-born designer says that sustainability was an integral facet of her upbringing. She began thrift shopping in her early teens as a way to keep up with fashion trends, not realizing that it would actually be the catalyst to her entrepreneurial journey, “When I first started thrifting, it was out of insecurity. But it then quickly turned into what gave me confidence, knowing that I was the only person in the world who had that one piece. That transformed my entire outlook on fashion and how I wanted to portray myself physically,” said Miro. Today, Miro has become a go-to resource and advocate for sustainability. With over 280,000 followers, her platform has been hailed by the likes of Harper’s Bazaar and the Los Angeles Times as a leading voice in the future of eco-conscious fashion.
Over the past few years, the brand has become a street-style staple, seen on celebrities from Kylie Jenner to Billie Eilish, and instantly recognizable for its unique designs and one-of-one pieces carefully curated by Miro herself, “We’re not showcasing sustainability in an obvious way. It’s a style of the design that every woman needs in her wardrobe - I call them creative staples,” says Miro about her process. When designing, Miro says the female form is what inspires her most, utilizing seams and hems that she knows will be flattering for all body types and empower her customers.
After a series of small drops on Instagram, an exclusive design partnership with Selena Gomez for her Revival Tour, and a collaboration with designer Heron Preston, SMV released its first full collection in August 2020. The collection was a highlight of the brand’s greatest hits and some of the most highly-coveted items on Instagram - from her classic Asymmetric Tee to a her Safety Pin Sweatsuit. The collection actually launched a week earlier than expected after a photo of Kylie Jenner wearing the full sweatsuit went live to her 249 million followers, prompting her team to release the collection immediately to capture sales from the publicity. Despite being seen on some of the largest social media influencers and models, the brand has spent $0 on marketing, something Miro says with pride. Malleability proves to be a key to her entrepreneurial success, identifying high publicity moments and converting them to sales on the fly.
Last Tuesday, Miro launched her second full collection, H2O SS21. The collection features their first foray into swimwear - a launch that was revealed through an exclusive partnership with Revolve. After being invited on a Revolve Around The World trip to Turks and Caicos as an influencer, Miro had the idea to utilize the partnership collaboratively, pitching the retailer on a concept where she would create content around her new swim collection and mix it in with other brand’s showcased on the trip. The result - her most successful launch to date.
Showcasing both her full line of swimwear as well as transitional pieces, this collection feels like Miro’s most complete and cohesive. Miro’s favorite piece is the Asymmetric Pant, a new extension from her best-selling Asymmetric collection of tees and dresses, “The pants were inspired by an encounter that I had with Cardi B’s stylist, Kollin Carter. He loved the Asymmetric Tee and asked if we could create a customized pair of pants that will match the tee. Even though she never ended up wearing the pant, I designed them to accentuate a woman's curves in the best way and love that this scenario inspired something new.”
Cardi B. is also one of SMV’s loyal fans, recently wearing the Asymmetric Tee in white and a skirt set that the brand never intended on releasing, but ended up adding to their website once she did. The set sold out immediately. When it comes to working with a stylist, “You have to just cross your fingers and hope, but not hold your breath,” says Miro. "And if something does get worn, make sure you’re prepared.”
Looking forward, Miro says she’s never been more excited or confident in her business. In addition to her recent successes, SMV was also just awarded a grant from The Council of Fashion Designers of America and The Fashion Trust USA, an award given to a designer for their success and innovation in the fashion industry. Miro plans to put the grant back into the business with hopes of investing further in marketing initiatives. She just hired her first CEO, someone she says has helped her transform the business and create structure. Although she’s still involved in the day-to-day of everything, hiring and expanding her team has allowed her to think more about the future of her business and sustainability as a whole, “Sustainability is not just about up-cycling fabrics or using organic fabrics,” says Miro. “There are endless ways in which we can do better. It's about ensuring that the quality of the garments has a long lifespan versus a fast-fashion piece you wear once and then it's a piece of thread at the end of the night. It’s about how we are paying our workers and sustaining them. It’s amazing how little people know out there, even if you're following someone like me. There's still so much room for education out there.”
Shop Sami Miro Vintage’s latest collection H2O here.
Follow Sami on Instagram here.
