Our history

The foundation and the founder

Hello! My name is Carolina and I am the creator of linaliva.

My first jobs were in retail – the very first when I was 17 years old as a warehouse clerk in a clothing store. After that I was a salesperson for a few years. I've always had a love for fashion, especially pieces that are out of the ordinary.

Working in clothing stores gave me a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes - what you don't see on the storefront. The truth is that clothing is produced in very large numbers for financial reasons. However, when a garment is designed, the brand cannot be sure how popular it will be. Some items sell out quickly, others just stay put. Once the season is over, there is a sale. Anything that hasn't sold becomes trash to make room for a new collection.

Believe me, it's a lot of junk.

I studied environmental engineering for 3 years because I have always been interested in climate change, pollution and waste prevention. I didn't become an environmental engineer, but an artist. However, these issues remained close to my heart. I grew up in a tropical city with amazing nature and fascinating wildlife. I grew up near the sea. Seeing trash floating between the waves has always made me sad. I want to protect our planet's greatest treasures as much as possible.

The problem with most brands of "exclusive" clothing - the things that aren't mass-produced - is that they're too expensive for most people. For a very long time, I myself could only afford to shop in affordable fast fashion stores. I wanted to create a brand that represents the best of both worlds: no mass production, no excess, global availability but shipping the shortest possible distances, exclusive items but keeping prices as cheap as possible. I also dreamed of starting my own business and finding a new way of expressing myself artistically.

This is how this brand was born.

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