Meet Andres Restrepo | Co-founder

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

Hi Andres, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When we first thought about starting PalmEraMia we were looking for a life project that we were passionate about. At that time we had jobs that were teaching us skills that would later come in handy as we started our own business, but we didn’t see the future we wanted to pursue in those current jobs. The idea for the brand came about as we wanted to offer clothes that we dreamed of, but couldn’t find anywhere. This is where the concept of creating streetwear through simple elegance was born. As a pilar of the brand we also wanted to find a way to make the world a better place, which is why we decided to help communities without access to clean water. These components put together by 3 partners who grew up together made up the perfect recipe for the life project we were looking for.

What should our readers know about your business?
The path we have journeyed through for the last 5 years or so has not been easy. We have had a lot of moments of doubt, we’ve made mistakes, we’ve questioned many decisions, etc. However, we wouldn’t change our journey for anything in the world. Everything we have been through has made us better people, better professionals, and it has taught us to become more resourceful. Our journey is displayed through the evolution in quality and designs of our products. We have improved in the overall production and creative process, which allows us to offer our customers a better overall experience with every new collection that comes along. Not only are we offering you unique and qualitative products, but you are also helping us bring help to communities without access to clean water. We want you to look your best when you rock PalmEraMia, but also feel pride because you are helping us potentially save lives in these communities when you purchase our products.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The itinerary would consist of a good mix of active and laid back activities to help recover. On the list we would have: Outdoorsy time: -Snorkeling at Earl Lifshey Ocean Park in Ft. Lauderdale -Bike ridding from South Point up the beach area -See the art around Wynwood Walls -Perez and Frost Museums Beer spots/Cocktails: -Grabbing a few beers w/ a great DJ at Veza Sur in Wynwood -Great Beer Variety at Tripping Animals in Doral -Los Altos speakeasy in Little Havana for some coscktails and dance moves Food options: -Getting some great tacos at The Taco Stand in Wynwood -Ramen at Ichimi in Coral Gables -Caja Caliente for a modern twist on cuban cuisine (Coral Gables/Wynwood) -Ghee Indian Kitchen in Midtown

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?
Our family has been a huge part of this entire process. They have been there for us to help us make tough decisions, they supported us when we chose to pursue a crazy dream, and they were also the reason why we decided to add a philanthropic component to our brand, as they always instilled in us the importance of helping those in need. A huge inspiration for us has also been The Hundreds, which is the streetwear brand we admire and try to learn from the most. They had a similar beginning to ours and they have revolutionized many aspects of the streetwear world.

Website: PalmEraMia.com
Instagram: instagram.com/PalmEraMia
Linkedin: linkedin.com/PalmEraMia
Twitter: twitter.com/PalmEraMia
Facebook: facebook.com/PalmEraMia
Youtube: “PalmEraMia” on YouTube

Image Credits
Pandemic Groceries Pics: IG @eltiorioh Store pics: IG @who.peter Water Project an jacket pics: IG @_camijara_