Meet Natalija Dedic Stojanovic | Co-founder and Creative Director of PARAISO Miami Beach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Natalija Dedic Stojanovic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Natalija, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I moved to Miami Beach from Europe in 2005 and joined my husband Aleksandar, who was building and growing his biannual fashion week (called Funkshion Fashion Week at the time) in his quest to create a strong fashion platform for Miami. The event was extremely successful and fun. It was a gathering of NBA stars, top-tier DJs, editors, celebs, and cool designers. As my husband’s production company was growing he was shifting his focus more on production and we had to decide what to do with the the platform we had.

The fashion industry was strongly rooted in New York at that time and felt like we needed a fresh start. Something that was only ours and made sense for the city. I started noticing the growth of the swimwear market and their interest around Miami.

It was the moment when I creatively took over the platform and reshaped it completely to be what we now know as swim week. My thoughts were always focused on the swimwear industry and never on the business. I wanted to get the industry stronger, promote the brands, promote the lifestyle, and have everyone fall in love with the lightness that surrounds it. I was excited about my vision and my goal, and had a team that shared the same passion.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
If I would have to choose one thing that is dominant in my personality it would be the optimism. What sets me apart is how strong this runs through my veins :)) I believe that anything you set your attention to can be achieved. A lot of hard work, sweat and tears are needed but results always come. Never run from challenges, they are a blessing in disguise. They are pushing you to work harder, to prevail and get stronger.

I come from Balkan where the patriarchy values are embedded in our social structural system. As a strong opinionated, shooting for the stars girl, I couldn’t see myself staying there. You cross path with man who don’t even look into your eyes when you are voicing your opinions or talking about business. Feminism movements are shaking things up, but they still have a long way to go to get there.

Some of the lessons learned along the way: stay humble, stay focused, and never stop learning.

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?
Miami is for sure the most exciting city to live in. It offers you everything. From quiet and romantic evenings, delicious food, to art, wellness, music, and fashion. My pics would be morning buns at True Loaf or croissants at Flour & Weirdoughs in Key Biscayne. Coffee at Panther or the best almond latte at Pura Vida Design District. For art gallery hopping musts are Rubell Museum, Superblue, Nina Johnson, and not to miss Bass Museum.

My second home is Soho Beach House, so day in the sun at their beach or lunch at Cecconi’s. For dinner I would choose Boia De, Sapore di Mare, or Mayfair Grill ( try mushroom tacos!)

My favorite neighborhood by far is Sunset Harbor!
Work out at Anatomy gym, pilates at Tremble studio or simple run over the Venetian bridge followed by açaí bowl at Delicious Raw and shopping at Eberjey.

Going out and parting is not my thing anymore. I wake up each day at 6.15am and it’s almost impossible to keep my eyes open past midnight. But I can list in my sleep the best nightclubs in 90’s and early 2000’s in Serbia 🙂

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
What Steve Jobs would say, “Great things in business are never done by one person. They’re done by a team of people.”

I would like to thank my husband Aleksandar Stojanovic for always standing by my side and supporting my dream.
Lara Lopez Picasso for sharing my passion and creating PARAISO Miami Beach with me, and of course City of Miami Beach, or to be more specific VCA Miami Beach for their continuous partnership and trust in us to bring fashion to Miami Beach.

Website: https://www.paraisomiamibeach.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paraisomiamibeach/?hl=en

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalija-dedic-stojanovic-5561ba61/

Image Credits
Simon Soong