The cool and sexy vintage pieces by Sami Mirò

Designer, vintage lover, businesswoman, model, marketing executive, lifestyle blogger. Sami Mirò has been able to transform her passion for vintage into a brand, which is simply called Sami Miro Vintage. In just a few years, it has won over major brands such as Heron Preston and influential fans such as Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner. The models are just two of the many followers who have chosen to wear her creations made by reworking clothes found in thrift shops in LA and Miami. The most popular item? Valentina, a sheer turtleneck thong bodysuit with a customizable patch, often in denim, on the breasts.

Sami's passion for vintage was born as a teenager. She attended a high school full of rich kids who wore only designer clothes that she also wanted, but could not afford. One day when she entered a thrift shop she discovered a shelf with the same Lacoste polo shirts popular in the school sold for 5 dollars. They were used, worn and faded, but they allowed her to be part of the cool kids' group and, at the same time, to feel unique, original. Today her wardrobe is about 75% vintage, with vintage clothes and accessories from 15 countries, each with a special memory. 

Her story is atypical compared to most people who work in the fashion industry. Her background is in the field of technology. Born and raised in San Francisco by a father who was an engineer and professor of economics, Mirò wanted to follow the family footsteps and so she first studied marketing at the University of Santa Clara, then took a Master in Global Entrepreneurship. The internship at a startup in the Bay Area that grew into a multimillion-dollar company turned into her first job. 

I would travel every week to go meet with Apple HQ and various retailers, and have events all over the world. I didn’t really have to be in our SF HQ, so I took advantage of that and moved to LA where I met people in fashion and more creative industries. They said “your wardrobe is so cool, you should try styling!” I was like, “what is styling?” People don’t know how to put on an outfit? It was the most surreal thing to me. Being in LA and meeting people from different creative backgrounds made me realize I had something creative within me that was dormant, and that I wasn’t able to express in SF. I decided to quit my corporate life and take some time and do some more creative things. 

This is how Sami Miro Vintage was born in 2016. Immediately after pursuing her true passion, Sami fell in love with Zac Efron, who also became her first client (remember the patchwork denim jacket worn by the pop star at the MTV Movie Awards 2016?). The relationship gave the designer unexpected popularity boosting both the number of her Instagram followers and the number of celebrities who wanted to have one of her custom creations.

Just one month after launching her brand, Selena Gomez chose Mirò for the styling of the Asian gigs of her Revival tour.

Sami Miro Vintage's debut collection was deeply eco-minded, as the name suggests, EcoTerror, inspired by a radical environmentalist movement that began in the 1970s.

The goal is to show the world that Sami Miro Vintage is, yes, aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also to shed light on the fact that it’s both possible and necessary to be simultaneously eco-conscious, as well as fashion-forward.

The garments, made with old deadstock fabric or vintage denim, are "more elegant and refined" versions of the creations customized for celebrities. The eclectic proposal includes shorts with distressed hems, cotton tank tops and sweaters with signature jeans patches, jackets inspired by '80s blazers, velvet and zip-up miniskirts.

Sami alternates modeling and designer careers. Her work and personal style has conquered many brands. She appeared in Nike's The Force is Female, Reebok's Fusion series, walked the catwalk for Rebecca Minkoff's SS19, was the face of Missguided and was one of Kim Kardashian's clones in the Yeezy Season 6 campaign. 

She created a collection for Nike and Nordstrom, two capsules for Forever21 and, above all, made 33 pieces for Heron Preston's SS20 collection, presented during the last Paris Fashion Week. Asked about the future of her brand, she answered:

My vision is to stay on the sustainable path and really show the world that you can be fashion forward and wear unique pieces, casual or dressy, while doing something good for the planet. I hope to grow to become a household name and to continue to create pieces that are outside of the box yet wearable.

Sami's personal style is filled with vintage, casual and boyish, but sexy items. 

My dad raised my older brother and I alone.. fashion-wise I had zero female influence. All my hand-me-downs were boy’s clothing, which I hated at the time, but still made it work: I turned their shirts into dresses, and cut holes in their oversized jeans to make it sexy. Men’s clothing is still a big part of my style today. About 30% of my wardrobe is menswear – mostly vintage. 

Also when it comes to beauty Sami opts for bold and coloruful looks that can not go unnoticed.