Meet Elvie Gomez: The Fashion Designer & Entrepreneur Who Took No Shortcuts

You’re limitless, the world is yours.  

Elvie Gomez  

Who or what were your biggest influences growing up, and how did they shape your career choice?

Growing up, I was an only child for 7 years and didn't have consistent playmates because I often lived far away from others. So, whenever I was by myself, I would find ways to occupy my time, whether that was watching music videos and trying to duplicate the choreography and outfits, reading fiction novels that required imagination, or drawing outfits and having fashion shows. I've always loved fashion. My mother was a big inspiration for me, especially in terms of style, because she would always ask me to help her pick out outfits and accessorize her looks! She said I just had that "eye" for those things. Whenever I watched shows, movies, or even music videos, I wouldn't really focus on the storyline or choreography. Instead, I paid attention to the outfits, color schemes, the theme of the video, and whether the styling choices, hairstyles, and makeup aligned with it. It was like my own world of dress-up and my escape from reality. I've always aspired to pursue a career in fashion and even carried a sketchbook around with me constantly as a child. This shaped my career choice because one day, I decided to face my fear of failure instead of playing it safe and being miserable. I've never felt more alive in this career of entrepreneurship and fashion. I'm beyond excited to expand my knowledge and no longer just touch the surface!

How did you manage your first major failure or setback, and what did you learn from it?

Before VIRA was born, I had another brand named Lucky. Lucky was my grunge rockstar-type brand, and it was fun, but it wasn't well thought out or planned. I just wanted to jump straight into the fashion industry because I wasn't patient enough to fully commit to the journey. Lucky launched, and a few people bought from me, but that was it. Shortly after opening Lucky, I had a family emergency that forced me to relocate to Miami, FL. This caused so much stress and confusion that I ended up closing the brand and stopped marketing its content. In hindsight, it was a blessing in disguise because I wasn't nearly prepared to run that business as I am today. I didn't realize how much behind-the-scenes work is involved in successfully running a business, like setting up email marketing that aligns with your brand image, constantly investing time in elevating your knowledge, and handling stressful situations, finances, taxes, and legal matters. There's so much to owning a business that nobody tells you! It's more than just having a cute website (even though mine is pink and girly). After that experience, I decided to focus on creating the brand of my dreams. Less than a year later, we have our beautiful baby, VIRA. Everything in Vira World is pink, the women are brave and resilient, and our community is strong and close-knit. It's the best thing I could have ever asked for.

How do you incorporate sustainability into your business?

At VIRA, we aim to stand out by creating an exclusive community. We aspire to become a 100% cotton company in the near future, as our products are currently 95% cotton. When selecting a manufacturer, we practice ethical sourcing to ensure that our production aligns with our brand image and mission. We use recyclables where possible and have improved our packaging to provide a more environmentally sustainable experience for everyone.

It's important to note that our goal is not to be the go-to company for trendy tees, nor do we cater to the fast fashion market. Instead, we want to be the place you turn to for your cotton essentials—your daily essentials. We offer the perfect vegan leather cardholders, wallets, bags, and more. Our goal for the end of this year is to transition into a slower, more sustainable, and custom-focused company. If we don't achieve this by the end of the year, we'll continue to persevere until we reach our goals.

What aspects of your brand or company culture do you believe make you stand out in the market?

The slogan for my brand is "the world is yours" (because it is), and it's bound to grab anyone's attention. If that's not enough, it's the fact that my brand colors are pink and pink, with a cohesive color scheme across all my platforms—even my website! It's all pink!

How can I develop a positive mindset to keep going?

Don't be afraid of failing because failure only brings more knowledge. You never literally go backward; you always move forward. When you view failure as a source of knowledge and success, your perspective and mindset will shift accordingly. To create, you must constantly flow and not dwell on or acknowledge negativity—especially when you know in your heart that you were born for this.

"You're limitless; the world is yours."

Check out Elvie's company: viira.co 

Follow Elvie on Social Media:

Instagram: @xoxoviira

Twitter (X): @xoxoviira

TikTok: @xoxoviira

Pinterest: Elvie on Pinterest

Facebook: Elvie on Facebook