About

Hey, I’m Ayla, and I hate fast fashion.

The clothes I could buy in the US, even from supposedly reputable brands, were mass-produced, disposable, and disconnected from the people who made them. 

But when I studied abroad in Italy, I saw a better way to make and buy clothes; small family-run workshops that create timeless and high-quality clothing. I bought a top in Sorrento, from a man whose family had run their local fashion house for generations. Speaking to him in my intermediate Italian, I learned that his grandfather had once been the mayor of the small coastal town, Gaeta, where I was born. Suddenly, the piece had a story. It felt meaningful to wear.

I missed that feeling when I returned to the U.S., and realized how rare this kind of quality and meaning has become. That’s why I started Estera.

Every piece we curate is made by the same family workshops I met abroad: small-batch, ethically crafted, and designed to be loved for years. I hope you will love these pieces and their stories as much as I do. 

XX - Ayla