Some people really struggle to figure out what they want to do with their lives. Finding their ideal career path doesn’t come easily.
Erika Peña is not one of those people.
From an early age, Peña, who would grow up to become a fashion and jewelry designer, had a sense of her dream profession. When she was around four-years-old she knew her life’s calling. She could even picture what kind of clothing she was meant to create.
“I wanted to design resort wear, but at that age, I did not know what it was called,” says Peña, whose designs have been worn by Beyoncé, Jessica Alba, Kim Kardashian, and Paris Hilton and is known for her diaphanous hand-dyed dresses with voluminous sleeves that seem built for twirling. “I just thought of designing vacation outfits. And I imagined what these ladies would be wearing to fabulous parties.”
By the time she was five, she was so focused on her craft, she would sketch models on her brother’s index cards. “I took his circular ruler and would draw these little models I named after my friend from school,” says the Bali-based Peña. “I imagined how I would dress them and where they would be going in these fabulous dresses,” she says. “I think it was just me fantasizing. And Bali was one of the dream places that I saw these women visiting. It’s quite funny because I ended up living there. Bali is such a spiritual, peaceful and creative place. It is a really a refuge for me.”
Born in Puerto Rico to Dominican parents, Peña had lived in Florida since she was three. By the time she was18, she studied fashion design at Parsons Design School. After working for several designers, she found herself thrown into the sales part of the industry and opened a New York City showroom. She sold her friends’ designs. “It really intrigued me and seemed so fascinating,” says Peña. “It was still fashion, but another facet.”
But ultimately her passion for creating beckoned in a big way. “I’m always creating in my mind as a designer and literally had an epiphany,” she says. “I looked at my living room lamp, which contained Nautilus shells from Bali and designed my first earrings. That is how I started designing jewelry.” (In 2012 Beyoncé wore her Obama hoop earrings which became wildly popular.)
After a very difficult divorce she stopped designing. “I needed to take a break from everything and reconnect with myself not as a designer, but with Erika, the person, apart from her career,” says Peña. “During that period of looking towards my inner self, I was drawn back into designing again and creating pieces that I love for myself.”
Inspired by what she was wearing, people would stop her on the street and ask where they could buy her clothing. In 2012 she launched her resort wear brand and relocated to live in Bali. Not only does she have her thriving fashion and jewelry line that is sold around the world she also has four Erika Peña boutiques in Bali.
Devoted to creating fashion that lasts Peña uses 100% cotton fabrics made from natural fibers. Her dresses can use from 49 to 55 feet of fabric and take around two to three days to make. “My fabrics feel good on the skin, do not harm the planet and still look fabulous,” she says. “It is a labor of love.”
Jeryl Brunner: Was there a point where you told yourself you had really made it?
Erika Peña: I will probably never say I have fully made it. In my mind it feels like an endless pursuit. But I feel like, wow, I’ve touched so many lives. I love when I see a person on the street wearing my dress. I think of when Beyoncé wore my pieces and thanked me on her album. I remember seeing a woman on the street in Paris looking absolutely stunning wearing my dress. That really touches my heart and makes me feel very proud and accomplished.
Brunner: You have talked about how you honor the people who work with you. What are some things you offer them?
Peña: I believe your staff are the limbs of your brand. They are the ones who carry you from place to place. So it’s important that you take care of your team and your people. In our company, we provide fully paid insurance and taxes and pay above the minimum wage. As for personal growth, we offer English classes and leadership courses so employees can develop and grow in their careers.
We also have annual reviews in which our staff can get raises. We have a five year loyalty program where we buy our employees a vehicle with the brand logo as a thank you for staying and working in our companies. We believe that loyalty should always be rewarded.
Brunner: So many people have a dream to create something like a clothing line, but feel they don’t have the resources or confidence. What would you advise?
Peña: Start small. One design and one step at a time. And let it grow organically. Start researching and studying and learning the most you can. If you are young it’s always important to do internships at companies that you admire—where one day you would like to have a similar company. You can really learn from these internships. And this helps form relationships and a possible mentor so when you’re ready to launch your company, there’s always someone who will help you.