We had the good fortune of connecting with Annie Firmi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Annie, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
I was always told that you should follow the rules when it comes to your dream career. Go to college, spend years working for others and learning under them, and be patient. This advice though admirable for some people and some careers, was actually more hurtful then helpful when it came to me and my growth. I was fortunate enough to know from a very young age what I wanted to be, and the long path I took chasing it ended up wasting years that I could have used instead to my advantage building my brand. The moral of my story is that there is no “right path” for everyone, and that ultimately you should follow your gut and takes risks, regardless of what anyone else tells you.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I think what I am most proud of, is that today at age 30, I am living my childhood dream job. I worked professionally as a designer in the industry for about 8-9 years, and always hoped I would get to the point when I was my own boss. My design aesthetic has always been a bit eclectic, fanciful, and imaginative. My roots are from Southern Italy, and the country’s way of looking at both the world and romance has always greatly impacted me. Most recently I have been taking greatest inspiration from the 1800s, and reimagining historical fashion for the modern day woman. I have always had a great leniency on vintage fashion, and I think you can see an air of this in everything I create. I aim to re envision the best of fashion’s past for the modern day woman.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
My favorite thing to do in the city with friends is always treasure hunt- or vintage shop! This includes home goods, apparel, as well as textiles. We would probably start in Pasadena and make our way to the antique shops off Fair Oaks, and maybe later head to St. Vincent De Paul afterwards to continue the hunt. For lunch, one of my favorite places to take people visiting the city is the Lake in Echo Park, and grab a sand-which at Lassens across the street and walk over to sit on the grass. On Fridays there is a wonderful Farmer’s market that takes place right next to the Lake, and is a wonderful place to pick up some fresh flowers and produce for the house. In the early evening I would then take them to Hauser & Wirth in the Arts District to check out one of the newest exhibits, and a craft cocktail afterwards next door at Manuela.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Though I often say that my story was a solo one, I will say that my family has played an integral part in any success I have achieved. Starting a clothing company is VERY expensive, especially doing so independently and in your 20’s. I was extremely fortunate to be able to have parents that could afford to loan me money to start the brand, (with no interest on said loans), so that I could grow and develop Serpenti at my own pace. This financial ownership provided me the creative freedom to explore the product and design in a way I could never do when working for other large companies. It was a dream come true to have this support from the very start.

Website: www.serpentiapparel.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/serpenti_apparel/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serpentiapparel/

Image Credits
model @fiander mua @lorvida assistant stylist @louisquantrille retouch @dylan_austin_e

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