Carmen Sol, the luxury resort brand with stores all over the Dominican Republic, Caribbean, and soon to be Mexico and Europe, that-get this-is also super chic and super eco-friendly, sat down with The LA Fashion Magazine to dish on their story, their product line, and what’s next for them in the future! Let’s dive in!
LAFM: Can you tell me about how Carmen Sol was first started?
Carmen Sol: Our story is one of a retailer that for over 12 years has run successfully multi-brand stores inside some of the best resorts of the Caribbean. The brand was born about 2 years ago, first in our stores and the success has brought us to make an international brand. Our multi-brand stores are called Carmen Sol New York and carry resort swimwear and accessories from Cavalli, Missoni, Tory Burch and Michael Kors among others. Our stores are-for example-inside the beautiful property of Casa de Campo in Dominican Republic and Hard Rock Resort in Punta Cana.
LAFM: Who is the Carmen Sol customer?
Carmen Sol: The Carmen Sol is customer is chic, happy and travels the world. As one close friend to the brand told me: ¨I never saw a brand that makes me happy as a 5 years old child and her grandmother, while they both wear our product¨
LAFM: Carmen Sol is a company that specializes in Jelly Accessories, as well as shoes, handbags and swimwear all made 100% in Italy, what was the design choice behind the brand, why was developing personable jelly accessories something Carmen Sol wanted to be a leader in?
Carmen Sol: Our brand is eco-chic and 100% jelly: we are reinventing the jelly as a chic accessory! We are eco-conscious, as our product is prop 65 compliant and all the packaging is eco-friendly. We are about simplicity and beautiful colors, our bags are designer inspired and we want to make luxury experience of a 100% Made in Italy product affordable to everybody.
LAFM: Carmen Sol was developed by founders who managed retail stores inside resorts in the Caribbean, how did they transition from managing stores into developing a successful collection and brand that specializes in creating resort lifestyle products?
Carmen Sol: We started in 2005 from a small store in the beach of Punta Cana and grow in the next 12 years to build one of the leading forces of retail inside the Luxury Resorts. When you have so much experience listening every day directly from the customers what they need while vacationing, you develop a priceless asset for your brand. Like Carmen says, we take you from the beach to the cocktail in style.
LAFM: And lastly, can you tell us what the plans for the future of Carmen Sol are?
Carmen Sol: We have an ambitious plan to expand the brand internationally and after a successful launch in the US where we sell to high end Resorts such as the Ritz, Waldorf Astoria and Four Season, we are now launching this summer the brand in South America (Mexico and Caraibi) and Europe (Italy, France and Spain). The plan is also to open our own stores in 2019 as we feel that our experience as retailers will bring something fresh and new to market.
One thing’s for sure here at LAFM, any product that can take us from cocktails on the beach to cocktail chic at happy hour at a great restaurant, can be worn my 3 generations of a family (hello holiday gifts for grandparents, nieces and mothers!) works for us! We’ll def keep an eye out next time we head to a beach resort or a European getaway for this stylish brand!
