Fashionistas
Cio Soler
Her efforts are brought to life by retelling retail and encouraging a conscious approach to fashion
Cio Soler went from being Maurice Marciano’s partner —the co-founder of Guess— to building her empire. The Peruvian navigated the fashion world and created her project, Sita 1910, a private boutique that opened its first public space at The Peninsula Beverly Hills on August 1st.
The Latina creative force and philanthropist is the daughter of an engineer and a businessman, and a beauty queen. Soler grew up surrounded by the elite, as her grandmother owned the legendary Karamanduka, Lima’s go-to restaurant.
Soler’s grandmother significantly impacted her; therefore, she named her store after her. According to the brand, Sita has a few of a kind ready-to-wear collections and an array of specialty items in apparel, accessories, home decor, and gifts. The store also specializes in collaborative efforts with artists, designers, and nonprofits while redesigning luxury gifting.
“Eighty-five percent of what’s in here can’t be found anyplace else in the U.S.,” she told Yahoo, adding she respects designers as creators, and will not “screw them over.”
Cio has a 20-year background in fashion branding and marketing and has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations aligning strategic partnerships between brands and nonprofits. Today her efforts are brought to life by retelling retail and encouraging a conscious approach to fashion.
“You walk in and feel like you’re in your grandmother’s old wardrobe room or like your dream closet. We made it about the clothes and wanted to keep the integrity very simple and let it be about the clothes—let the clothes be the art that everyone is looking at,” Soler told Apparel News. Soler’s store is by appointment and referral only, because according to her, Sita 1910 is an exclusive one-on-one experience.
“I love the personal experience with the client. Having one-on-one time with them allows them to get into a comfortable space where they are not there to be sold clothes but are there to be presented works of art and then they can choose what they want”
“Everything from dresses to ready-to-wear to resort and swim. We have cardigans and a collection of vintage Levi’s and highly curated vintage T-shirts and flannels. We have custom-made boots. It’s really an eclectic mix. Your 18-year-old daughter can shop here and your 86-year-old grandmother can shop here—everyone will find something,” she assures.
