Today we’d like to introduce you to Kris Strouthopoulos.
Kris, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
My previous career and background are actually in retail management and most recently I worked for a luxury bedding company for about ten years. This afforded me the opportunity to work with the highest quality and most innovative fabrics on the market. What stood out most was a material that proactively regulated body temperature. My clients could not get enough of this fabric, especially women. I thought if they were getting such an amazing benefit from this material all night long, why not get the same benefit during the day from their intimates, pieces are worn closest to the body. So I researched the market and found this to be a white space and an opportunity in the industry. Instantly I saw a need to create something better not only for the women who voiced a demand for smarter fabrics but for all the women I knew we could help with innovative materials and design solutions. And as a female-led company of women designing for women, I also saw an opportunity to build a community and platform around real women today, highlighting their strength, inner beauty, and confidence. This is what ultimately led to GIAPENTA.
We are a company that empowers women; we put women first in everything that we do and are building a brand from their perspective. So even before we began designing, we reached out to hundreds of women with one simple question – how can we make your intimates better? After listening to feedback from so many strong, inspiring ladies, we found the same issues kept emerging. As GIAPENTA began to come to life, it became our mission to solve those day to day issues women face with their intimates. So each piece was carefully designed as a solution to many of these common issues. The collection includes our signature London X Back Bra with a patent pending cross back design that keeps shoulder straps secure and in place, the Kavala Multiway strapless bra which includes three removable and adjustable straps for an amazing 13 different configuration options, and front strap adjusters for easy adjustments are found on many of our bras. These are just a few of the design solutions included in GIAPENTA’s new line. Overall we are so proud that GIAPENTA is redefining luxury lingerie through innovative design solutions and high-performance fabrics to meet and exceed the needs of our incredible clients.
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?
I think if you talk with any entrepreneur they would say that when it comes to building a business, it is never a smooth road! The process of building my brand has truly been a journey and I have learned so much along the way. I have always firmly believed that as a leader you should never be the smartest person in the room and that it is so important to find good people who will challenge you, fill in the areas that are not your strengths and really help you to grow. Starting a business, you have to wear so many different hats that it’s impossible to be an expert in all areas. For us, finding the right people to help drive different areas like logistics, raising capital and scaling the brand, struggles that are pretty universal in the startup world, especially in the DTC space, has been a game-changer. I’ve been really lucky to have so many amazing people with incredible experience and backgrounds that have offered their guidance and mentorship throughout this process as we continue to build GIAPENTA into a powerhouse brand.
Please tell us about GIAPENTA.
At GIAPENTA we make smarter intimates, inspiring women to feel more comfortable and confident from the inside out. We’ve redefined lingerie & RTW using innovative designs and high-performance fabrics. The collection includes bras, panties, camisoles, and bodysuits that feature our exclusive TempPro® Technology fabric, which proactively regulates body temperature using Phase Change Materials. Translation: the fabric actually pulls heat away from the body as you start to get warm, stores the excess heat, and then releases it back as needed when you start to get cold. Always keep your body temperature perfectly balanced. The feedback from our customers has been incredible and the collection absolutely sets us apart from others, even quoted by Refinery29 as “a game-changer for the lingerie industry!”
For me personally, I am not a traditionally trained designer which I think has been a huge competitive advantage for our brand. By continuing to ask questions and push the limits in the design process, we are able to come away with an innovative collection that can truly help women in their day to day lives. One of my core strengths is building strong, cohesive teams and I brought together an amazingly talented design team that is based right here in Miami. Also, my career has always been in sales management with a focus on training, which has been absolutely beneficial as I started this business. I believe everything happens for a reason and coming from the business world, all my experience in my previous career has really helped to prepare me for successfully running my own company.
And I am so proud of GIAPENTA and the community of strong women that supports us every day, but most of all I am proud of my team. Every single person on our team has come together to help build something so wonderful and inspiring, and I am so excited for us to grow this incredible brand together!
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I’m definitely a Florida girl but growing up I always loved the summers I was able to spend with family in upstate New York. I loved the outdoors and was able to spend the days hiking and learning to ride horses which I really cherished.
Pricing:
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Bras starting at $68
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Undies starting at $28
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Bodysuits starting at $108
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All Luxury Sleep Masks $48
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PLUS, we’re offering VoyageMia readers a special discount.
Use code: GIA20 at checkout for 20% off your entire purchase at giapenta.com
Contact Info:
- Website: https://giapenta.com/
- Email: mail@giapenta.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giapenta/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/giapenta/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/GIAPENTA
Getting in touch: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
