Fashion Designer Lorena Rivero Brings Her Brand LORRIVE to the Middle East

Italian-born fashion brand LORRIVE is the brainchild of designer Lorena Rivero, so as she brings her stunning label to the region, we sit down with Rivero to discover more about the clothing line, her earliest fashion memories and the designer’s biggest achievement to date.

Born with the influence of the five natural elements, Italian fashion label LORRIVE combines lightweight fabrics with vibrant amethyst tones to product feminine pieces that have a touch of glamour.

With a focus on cocktail dresses, LORRIVE’s ready-to-wear pieces comprise of figure-hugging dresses that complement the female form. Rich jewel tones are elegant and striking and the use of real amethyst takes the pieces to another level. Lace, embellishment and print details all add a touch of elegance.

Aside from evening wear, LORRIVE also features an extensive swimwear and lingerie collection. Each piece is designed to signify power and make the wearer feel her absolute best.

Each piece is made in Italy under the guidance of Lorena Rivero. The French entrepreneur has a vision to empower women worldwide with the pieces she creates, bringing out the inner strength of each woman.

Spending many months of the year in Dubai, Rivero has a strong connection to the region and wants to spread the ethos of her brand within the region. Here we meet with Rivero to discover her vision for LORRIVE in The Middle East and what inspires her to create her pieces.

Can you tell us a little about your brand and what makes it unique?

I can actually tell you a lot about our brand and what makes it exceptional in the market. LORRIVE thrives on the energy within its work. We use the amethyst stone sourced straight from the lands of Uruguay.

It’s a beautiful gem that is a source of comfort to whoever wears it since we believe it produces such positive energy. Moreover, with the way we incorporate it into our elegant designs, the result is a unique layout best made to work in synergy with the body’s natural energies. If I may also add so myself, the end result of our work is something beautiful. A piece of art that will turn heads in any room.

How do you think it will translate to the Middle-Eastern clientele?

Simply put… Quite well! The Middle East is a place of luxury, beauty, and elegance. Being literally in the middle of the world, its women are at the centre of all fashion. They know art when they see it and have an eye for the best designs, designs we incorporate to their high-standard tastes. I do not speak from a place of unfamiliarity.

Most of the months of the year I live in Dubai. A fashion-capital where only the highest-quality succeeds. My own son calls this country his home and my exposure to Arab culture has given me a great appreciation for its values. An appreciation that has inspired our company to produce such elegant styles for the powerful Arab women.

What is your first fashion memory?

My first fashion memory was one I thank a special woman in my life for. It happened when I was 12 years old and was taken by my aunt to my first ever fashion show. Looking at these women, with all their confidence and elegance, I could not avoid being inspired. They came from different communities, they had their special beauties, and every single one possessed their own history.

With this inspiration how could I do anything except aspire to take on a career in fashion? How could I do anything except create these fantastic pieces that highlight a woman’s background, showcase their exceptional beauty; and most importantly, tell their amazing stories.

What do you consider your biggest achievement to date?

Supporting my family and the passion I put into my business. I am proud of taking care of my family and children, instilling the best values and discipline into the people I love and who are my life. All of this in tandem with running a successful business and the community around it.

I don’t prioritize one over the other and both sustain the well-being of each other. My greatest joy is seeing successful women all around the world take pride in my fashion, the designs that were inspired by my family at home and made into reality by my family at work.

What has been your biggest challenge?

Where to begin… This industry has so many challenges. Challenges I have already overcome, and challenges yet to come, only to be overcome like the others. But the biggest I would say is finding the right balance between taking care of my family and developing my business. It has not always been easy and still isn’t in some ways.

Being a perfectionist and always striving for innovation, it was not so simple to manage a life at home and another at work. But I had the best team behind me, my children. They always supported and believed in me, knowing that I was capable of great success. With such love, how could I say no to achieving only the best? And with such precious people how can I do anything except persevere and grow?

What would you still like to achieve?

So much, but for now my goal is to reach women on an international scale. Have my fashion worn by confident ladies in all the contingents and have my brand recognized in the most elegant of groups. I will get there with the support of my family, and the work of my team. Each step taken today and going forward will be strategic, effective, and well-coordinated.

There will be no mistakes or challenges that we cannot overcome and if any are made we will simply overcome them. This is because we believe that all over, the positive energy given out by amethysts in our designs need to be shared and experienced. I know we will be the ones to achieve this.

You travel a lot, what do you think travelling adds to your character?

Travelling is a wonderful thing. It exposes you to all the cultures and people of the world, while still keeping you connected to home. You experience new insights, gain new mindsets, and see life from the eyes of many. From travelling, I lose all possible limits on my creativity and instead develop new perspectives. It fills me with positive energy that I am ready to share with the world around me.

Moreover, visiting all these places allows you to build deep friendships and meaningful connections with communities we would never have had the privilege of knowing personally without travel.

I am most fortunate that in the United Arab Emirates many cultures are brought together to relish the opportunities the country offers. But that still does not stop me from travelling the world whenever I can.

Who is the person that inspires you the most?

There is not just one, but many. I draw most of my inspiration from the elegant women of the ’60s ’70s and ’80s. Marilyn Monroe with her eye-catching yet innovative sense of fashion that inspires many women today. Bridgette Bardot and her iconic styles, considered too much by the society of her time but extremely beautiful today. And of course, Sophia Loren with her stunning beauty that captivated many.

These are the incredible women I look up to, and these are the women who serve as an inspiration for all my work. They were not just beautiful, but intelligent. Not just stylish, but successful. Not lucky at all, but secured their fame. I dream to inspire the Marilyns, Bridgettes, and Sophias of tomorrow.

What is your personal motto?

A woman has to always smile. To some, it may not seem like such an inspiring statement, but to me, it is my life rule. The world is already so full of stress and complications. The same problems that lead many to become sad.

As women, we do not let the negatives of the world become the negatives of our lives. We keep our heads up and our smiles strong, showing everyone our strength and resilience. We exude positive energy with our work and creations, and in doing so, bring up the men in our lives who also deal with the same stresses and suffer the same problems. If the world gives me one problem, I’ll give it several solutions, all with a smile on my face.

What is your professional motto?

My professional motto may seem quite the opposite, but it is “Keep family first”. When I started my company, I did so knowing it was all for my loved ones. For them, I excel in the work I produce and give pride in the accomplishments I am collecting. When you keep your family first in the business world, there is nothing you won’t do to ensure that you will do the best to provide them.

And what better way is there to provide for them than an extremely successful business? A company that will cater to their needs, show them the values of hard work, and encourage the formation of their successes. Money, luxury, fame; these are not the symbols of success but simple add-ons. The symbol of success is the impact your work has had on your family’s lives and others as well.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?

When I was younger I always felt the pressure to conform and to follow others if I wanted to be successful. I compared myself to other styles and tried to come up with a blueprint for success. But now I have learned important wisdom from my years of success and of developing my business.

Be natural, spontaneous, elegant. Be yourself. Others have made their own roads to good fortune, and you will not get much aside from leftovers by following them. All that you need is already in your hands. So be yourself, develop yourself, market yourself, and take pride in yourself. Do this, and others will follow.

How would you describe your design style?

I do not have one fixed style, I change my style 2-3 times per day depending on what I am taking inspiration from. To have a fixed style is very plain in my view, you have to spice it up from time to time. Instead what I have is a fixed standard. I only make the most stunning pieces, the ones that will have heads turning when you walk in the room and turning when you leave.

But that’s not enough, my works also have to give out positive energy, they have to have a feeling of elegance and happiness. When people look at you, I am making sure that their days have been brightened and their minds occupied. These are the standards I stand by for the many styles I create.

What do you say ‘no’ to?

Many things. Mostly vulgar ideas and crude behaviour. In the world of fashion and with success, you will always have those who do not see the beauty and the elegance behind the styles this industry produces. Instead, they encourage the more shallow aspects of this field. I will never compromise beauty just to have a gimmick and I will never introduce such low standards simply to turn over more inventory.

The styles I produce are for the women first. They give confidence, they create pride, and they give off such positive energy. Everyone else can admire and appreciate, but when a strong woman puts on one of my pieces, it is her and the confidence that comes from within herself. No one else is involved; however, they are permitted to be inspired.

How do you want the world to remember you?

I would like people to remember me as a positive person who was full of positive energy. Someone who was driven, and someone who was able to transfer both this energy and drive through the work I have done and the designs I created. Positive impacts have inspired me and that is what I wish to leave behind.

Translated by Georges Habib, Industry-Writer at EliteWriting.