I've always loved fashion, but not necessarily because I care about fashion in the traditional sense. What I love is how clothing has the power to change how you feel.

You can put on something sporty and suddenly you feel athletic. You can wear something feminine and feel softer and more romantic. And then there are the clothes that make you feel bold and fearless, somehow changing the way you walk into a room.

That feeling is really where Mandarano started.

Over the past several years, I've watched fashion move increasingly towards minimalism, oversized silhouettes, and more androgynous dressing. There is a lot that I appreciate about that aesthetic, but personally, I found myself wanting something different. I love the female form, and I wanted to create something that would celebrate it - the waist, hips, bust - without feeling like femininity meant revealing more.

I've always been drawn to the way women used to dress. So much thought put into the fabric, the silhouette, and the act of getting dressed. I love that sense of occasion and purposefulness, along with the glamour and romance of Italian and Mediterranean style.

My own path into fashion has been a little unconventional. I designed my own wedding dress in 2018, which was probably the first time I took something I had imagined and brought it into physical form. A few years later, I took a fashion design course at Parsons. The idea of creating my own brand continued to sit in the back of my mind until eventually I decided to do something about it.

And that became Mandarano.

At the end of the day, I want to make clothes that make women feel feminine and powerful at the same time. Clothes that give you presence, that help you stand a little taller, and make you feel a little bit fearless ;)