She dreamed about clothes
Teresa Pinedo, the creator behind the new brand Saïnt Mojavï, lived on a couch before realizing her goals.
Saïnt Mojavï may have launched this summer, but according to its designer, Teresa Pinedo, the readyto-wear resort label has been many years in the making.
“It’s a collection that I’ve been designing my whole life,” Pinedo said during a recent interview at a West Hollywood eatery.
The summer 2018 collection, Desert X, is bohemian in nature and takes its inspiration from Pinedo’s Hawaiian roots. Retailing for $225 to $450, the line features clean, minimalist dresses, caftans, shawls, palazzo pants and maxi skirts in neutral colors and lightweight fabrics such as linen, cotton and silk.
“A lot of these pieces are designs that I’ve always had in my head,” she explained. “Growing up, I would see travelers from all of the world come to Maui. Seeing a lot of the resort fashion really made me want to start a resort line.”
However, Pinedo initially wasn’t sure how to get started. Despite sewing her own swimsuits at age 12 and having later been mentored by Canadian fashion designer Maggie Coulombe, she didn’t have any L.A.-based connections when she moved here three years ago.
“I was living on my girlfriend’s couch in Beverly Hills,” the 29-yearold designer said. “I was like, ‘I need to find a job, figure out what to do with my career, get a car, pay rent — all of it.’ ”
Like any ambitious newcomer, Pinedo jumped on LinkedIn and then applied for a position as an office manager and executive assistant to Eduardo Saverin, co-founder of venture capitalist firm B Capital Group and a co-founder of Facebook.
She landed the gig, but couldn’t shake her passion. “I would literally have dreams about clothes,” she said.
After two years of working for Saverin, Pinedo shifted focus. “I woke up one day and was like, ‘I’m going to start my own clothing line,’ ” she said. “I was turning 28 and thought, ‘I’m ready.’ So last May, I gave my notice and I started putting things into motion — applying for the trademark, looking for manufacturers, sourcing fabrics, trying to find pattern makers.”
Pinedo said her exposure to business and finance empowered her to launch Saïnt Mojavï, whose name is a nod to “holy water.” “I’m a water sign,” she said. “I find a lot of inspiration when I’m near water.”
Manufactured in L.A., Saïnt Mojavï is available at Fred Segal in West Hollywood and at saint mojavi.com.
“I wanted to design clothes that are easy to travel with and easy to wear,” Pinedo said, pointing out that the pieces easily fit into a carry-on. “Fred Segal ordered 84 pieces from the collection, and all 84 pieces fit into a 4-by-4 box.”
Her favorite piece in the collection is the Mojavï shawl jacket because of its “breathable” bamboo jersey fabric. “It’ll keep you warm in cold weather,” she said, “and keep you cool in hot weather, so it’s very versatile.”
As for what’s next, Saïnt Mojavï’s resort 2018 collection, inspired by the Riviera Maya, is scheduled to drop in September.
While Pinedo will remain focused on designing resort pieces for the near future, she said she plans to grow the brand and its aesthetic.
“I want to eventually have my own atelier,” Pinedo said. “I’m thinking big. I want to leave a footprint here.”