How did you come up with the name of your company?
Senza Tempo means timeless in Italian. The idea behind the brand is to create timeless clothing which is why three classic silhouettes from different decades anchor every collection. The hourglass, the Aline and shift dress. The brand is made in L.A. because timeless clothing requires superior quality.
What does “sustainable fashion” mean to you?
Sustainable fashion means slow fashion. It’s about slowing down our consumption. Americans buy on average one new item per week and throw away 80 pounds of clothing each year. Fashion can’t be sustainable until we slow our consumption of clothing down. In order to do so, clothing has to be able to last for years and be in style for years.
Who is your customer?
Our customer tends to be executive women who need versatile wardrobe essentials. They are busy, travel often and don’t really have time to shop. They also know what they want, what styles look best on them and that their appearance matters.
What is something you wish people knew about sustainable fashion?
I think people automatically think sustainable fashion isn’t remotely fashionable or stylish, so you have to be careful when you use the word sustainable with certain audiences. I wish people realized it’s more than organic cotton or fabrics made from recycled materials, that it also applies to how much they consume and throw away. Sustainable fashion is about creating pieces meant to last for years instead of a handful of wears.
What’s the most challenging thing about running a sustainable business?
Despite the proclamations from the millennial generation that they want ethically made, sustainable clothing I haven’t seen much buying interest. Our price points are higher, but they would rather have 15 pieces that they’ll only wear 1-2 times and are poorly made rather than investing in one classic piece they can wear for many years. Statistically, if you compare Gen X vs Millennials average spending habits, it’s not because they spend dramatically less on clothing (only about $600 less on average than Gen Xers). I haven’t found that generation to put their money where their mouth is and change their shopping habits.
Just For Fun
What’s your spirit animal?
Diana Vreeland
Leave a Reply