Watch the full conversation between Lucy Akin and Fashionista’s Beauty & Style Director Steph Saltzman on The Fashionista Network.

Lucy Akin always had a sense she’d land in fashion. 

In college, she held multiple fashion internships. Post-grad, she worked at Jenni Kayne, became a buyer for a Los Angeles store and, eventually, opened up her own boutique. Starting a fashion brand, however? That was far from her life plan. 

A psychic, though, believed differently: “The minute I sat down, the psychic was like, ‘Why aren’t you designing your own clothes?’ And I was like, ‘I didn’t think I had that talent in me,'” Akin told Steph Saltzman live on The Fashionista Network. (Watch it here!)

One weekend, Akin got the urge to start sketching; she asked a friend to produce her designs. When she put these samples up for sale in her store, they quickly sold out. “Everyone wanted to know what it was. I then knew I was on to something,” Akin reflected. In 2017, her brand Ciao Lucia was officially born.

From the beginning, Ciao Lucia gained quick (yet organic) traction, thanks to its timeless, vacation-ready pieces that stood out in a market filled with trend-driven, statement designs. It received early retail interest and gained celebrity support from figures like Hailey Bieber and Kendall Jenner. Today, Ciao Lucia has outlived Akin’s store (R.I.P. Shop Super Street) and is even more culturally relevant, thanks to landing multiple major placements on Season 3 of “The White Lotus.”

Akin shared what the process was like for getting her designs on the show, as well as the brand’s approach to brand collaborations, in the full interview. She also discussed how the brand is aging up with its customers, the likelihood of her diving back into brick-and-mortar and her advice for aspiring designers.

Watch the full interview here.

This conversation was hosted on The Fashionista Network powered by interactive media platform Fireside, where viewers get the chance to participate and speak directly with industry figures. Learn more about The Fashionista Network here.

Please note: Occasionally, we use affiliate links on our site. This in no way affects our editorial decision-making.

Do you have an emerging brand you want to share with Fashionista readers? Jumpstart your business with our affordable digital offerings.

#Ciao #Lucia #Dresses #039The #White #Lotus039