Meet Lilli Elias | Business Founder

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

Hi Lilli, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
Having a business means riding a lot of waves – success beyond your dreams and failure beyond your imagination. Launching Autumn Sonata has taught me how to find more comfort in the liminal and to not react as acutely to each bump in the road.

Another lesson I have learned is to always reach out to people who you admire. I have been incredibly overwhelmed by the kindness that I have experienced in the last year from strangers who I can now call friends and mentors.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Autumn Sonata is a homeware company that was born from a desire to revive antique prints and patterns that I found in archives, antique markets and old books. The brand forms a natural meeting point for my background as an archivist and a lifelong fascination with antique prints and textiles. Our goal is to elevate utilitarian home goods into something that we are proud to display in our homes, with durability and longevity in mind.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I grew up in Los Angeles but am not currently living there, so when I return for months at a time I usually stay with my family on the West Side. I love riding my bike to the Wednesday Santa Monica farmer’s market, eating lunch at the Brentwood Country Mart or Gjusta, eating an ice cream from Sweet Rose or a Matcha Soft Serve from Somi Somi and shopping on Sawtelle at Daiso or at Tortoise General Store. When friends visit for the first time, I usually suggest walking the Venice Canals, taking in the viewpoint from the Getty or Getty Villa, and visiting the Hollyhock House and Barnsdale Park. Some of my favorite days have been antiquing in Pasadena and going on long walking tours around different historical neighborhoods in Pasadena and Silverlake.
Some of my favorite memories of growing up in Los Angeles have been accompanying my mother on home and garden tours around Los Angeles, and going to Laker’s games with my father. Although I didn’t appreciate Los Angeles when I was growing up, I fall more in love with the city each time I return.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
From the very inception of Autumn Sonata, I have been so overwhelmed by the kindness and generosity of so many strong and intelligent women around me, who have given me so much invaluable advice, time and support.

Website: https://autumnsonata.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/autumnsonata.co/

Image Credits
Photos courtesy of Autumn Sonata, Jacob Lillis and Yeray Sabandar