Building REGINA di NOLITA
On building a brand with intention and heritage.
When did you start Regina di Nolita?
I started noticing that what I loved wasn’t accessible to me. The sportswear my mom kept from the ’90s and early 2000s was just better made than what’s sold now. I’m lucky I can borrow some of her pieces, but otherwise, the only way to find things like that is vintage.
At the same time, I was seeing things on YouTube and in fashion shows - Isabel Marant, Chanel - and realizing those cuts and styles weren’t really accessible either. But I kept thinking about how I could recreate them in my own way.
What is it about the ’90s and early 2000s that draws you in?
I think it’s because that’s when my parents were most influenced. Both of them grew up in Nolita, and when I look at photos of them from that time, in that neighborhood, in those clothes... it feels close to me. It feels like something I’m connected to, not just inspired by.
My dad and I in my grandmothers tenement apartment on Mott Street, 2006.
In Nolita, where it all began.
Why make your own brand?
After high school, I got into streetwear because of the ‘90’s/2000’s influence I could see in it, but also because everyone else was into it and it was trendy. I realized that being like everyone else wasn’t what I wanted.
I started asking myself... what if I made something that reflected me? Not just what’s trending, but something rooted in my family, my background, and the styles I naturally gravitate toward.
At some point it became simple. What if I just made the things I wish I could access?
You’re building a brand. What’s watering the seeds of your brand’s garden?
A couple of things.
First, Pinterest. I’m very intentional about what I save. I treat it like a shopping bag... like I’m actually buying it and adding it to my closet. Because I know the algorithm is learning from me, I want it to reflect my taste, not just random things I like in the moment. It’s also a way to practice discernment and develop my eye, even if I can’t afford the pieces.
5 out of 31 Pinterest boards I’ve curated over the last 5 years
Second, thrift shopping and experimenting. During the pandemic, I would look for vintage jeans that I knew weren’t being sold anymore, just figuring out what my style really is and what I looked for specifically when it came to clothes. I also watched a lot of Project Runway growing up, and that made me feel like I could take something I loved and recreate it in a way that worked for me. That was the first time I started remixing things. I was inspired by the hard work and productivity of the contestants I was watching that it got me off the sofa and looking into my own closet to see what I could cut up.
Where does the brand stand today?
I’m still in the building phase. I’m sketching out cuts and experimenting with different ideas in sketches, learning the ins-and-outs of my sewing machine. I’ve also started building out the Instagram and wrote my first Substack to tell the story behind the brand.
Regina di Nolita is more than a blog; it’s a cultural commentary exploring the intersection of craftsmanship, my Dominican heritage, and the evolving history of Nolita. My goal is to move beyond digital aesthetics to celebrate the tangible. I want to use storytelling to connect my family’s emigration story with a modern appreciation for fashion and art and be an outlet to authentically connect with others.
I’m not in a rush. I’m not trying to be of a moment. I’m trying to be of a lifetime.
