We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Perna and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, how do you think about risk?
I truly believe that in order to get where you want in life you HAVE to take risks. Sometimes the risks are worth it and sometimes they aren’t, but you owe it to yourself to calculate the risk vs reward and figure out what makes the most sense for you. I take risks every day, I make things with out knowing if anyone will like them as a fashion designer, but I analyze my client, the market and the cost and go from there.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I love creating wearable art for people. I love being able to make something that is part of a person’s life. My mission is to spread joy, and I get to do that every day by creating colorful, bold clothing. I learned about fashion design while at UA, and then went on to work for Oscar de la Renta & Calvin Klein in NYC. I realized that I wanted to be able to design with my own aesthetic so I cashed in my 401k and started my business. Ive learned that it’s definitely a rollercoaster I irking for yourself and I have had some of the highest highs and the lowest lows while owning a business. The last year was exceptionally hard for all of us in retail and the creative space, but I focused my efforts on keeping people safe and my business open by masks. We donated over $100,000 worth of them so far. I learned that you can’t control so many things but focus on what you can in that moment.

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?
I love Delray Beach so much. Our town truly has something for everyone. I would recommend stopping at the Cornell Museum and the Arts Warehouse to see amazing art first thing. We have amazing restaurants and I particularly love the ones in Pineapple grove like Rose’s Daughter, 3rd & 3rd and brûlée. I would recommend going to Death or Glory for drinks. They have amazing cocktails and are always doing something fabulous for our community. Then I would recommend going to the beach and hanging out for a bit. We have the most beautiful beach and lovely people who go there. Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people that have been part of my journey. I had incredible professors at the University of Alabama that believed in me and pushed me to take the leap and work in fashion. I had a few incredible mentors when I worked in NYC that taught me the ins and outs of fashion. And my parents and my husband who have stood by my side through all of the crazy things that I come up with.

Website: AmandaPerna.com
Instagram: @theamandaperna, @thehouseofperna, @neonbohemians
Other: Pinterest @theamandaperna

Image Credits
Angie Myers, Solomon Strul

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