Today we’d like to introduce you to Carla Lores.
Carla, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
So I didn’t always know that design was the path for me. From a young age, I was drawn to art but it wasn’t until early college where I started trying to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. At the time, I was pursuing a degree in a foreign language and my best friend suggested that I should look into architecture. I’m so thankful for her because it was a no-brainer. I was drawn to the artistic sketches of buildings and utopian concepts. I switched my major and left Miami for Brooklyn. While finishing my studies at Pratt Institute, it was really hard in the beginning, having moved there with very few friends and no family support. It definitely made me tougher and stronger. I tried to absorb as much as possible from my professors and peers, and eventually made friends and figured out my way around the subway. Those years at Pratt, I lived and breathed architecture.
After graduating, I landed at a small design firm, where I got to work on cool projects for Warby Parker, Vice and Calvin Klein. It was there that I fell in love with office and retail design . During this time, I was able to get to know myself better, what local designers I liked, and what artists I was interested in. I explored the city as much as I could and made new friends. Three years later, I remember the day I packed a suitcase and left New York, vowing never to return. I was over the struggle, the rats, long hours of work, and not being able to travel or save for my future.
I came home to the sun and my family in Miami and a few months later started working at Oppenheim. I have fond memories there, learning so much from Chad and my project manager. My “baby” for two years was an upscale Italian restaurant on Ocean Drive. It was the first project where I really saw the nitty-gritty of construction. I added restaurant design to my list of expertise but also realized that this was what I wanted to focus on next. I was helping the 305 to grow by creating thoughtful designs for new businesses in the city that I loved most. The timing was perfect when Michael Dolatowski (a former classmate from Pratt, who is one of the founders of Deft Union) asked me to join his team. DU is a boutique design and fabrication studio in Little River that is responsible for some of your local favs – OTL, Dasher and Crank, Sweet Liberty, Sana Skin Studio and more.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Defining the value of my work is a challenge. Being petite and a woman in architecture/construction is a challenge. Having clients trust you because you’re younger than your competition is a challenge. COVID-19 has been a challenge.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Deft Union Story. Tell us more about your work.
Deft Union works on a wide range of scales, from custom furniture to full interior build-outs (as a licensed GC), from office design, retail design, brand activation design and execution. We are a team of young designers, creatives, carpenters, thinkers, tastemakers, craftsmen (and women) who stand out in Miami for our creativity and multi-disciplinary approach to design.
At Deft Union, I’m a senior designer and have been there for almost three years. I am primarily responsible for coming up with design concepts and then I’ll also work on anything from client presentations, 3D modeling, drafting, sourcing furniture, selecting finishes, lighting and plumbing fixture selections and construction administration. From time to time, I’ll hop in and help with proposal writing or crank out some shop drawings. Our fabrication shop is where most of our designs are built in-house, which is one of my favorite parts about working at DU.
As design lead, my most recent project is Sana Skin Studio, a new skin/spa studio concept in Wynwood. I love skincare and clean beauty, so this is everything! The design intent was to focus a minimal and contemporary Mediterranean palette, with classical forms in a thoughtful, almost surreal way. It was such a special opportunity to design for power-couple Valentina Hernandez-Botero and George Dufornier.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I think our successes are attributed to our ability to connect with clients, our ability to creatively problem-solve, our attention to aesthetics and details, and our hard work ethic.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.deftunion.com
- Phone: (305) 699-4402
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @carlalores, @deftunion
Image Credit:
Mikayla Kim, Valentina Quijada, Ali Happer, Kris Tamburello
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