Watch the full conversation between Patricia Bonaldi and Fashionista Staff Writer Janelle Sessoms on The Fashionista Network.

“Everything started with my mom,” PatBo founder Patricia Bonaldi told Janelle Sessoms on The Fashionista Network. (Watch it here!)

Reflecting on her childhood in Brazil, the designer credited her mother’s visits to the fabric store to outfit her in handmade clothing as the catalyst for her future fashion career. Bonaldi founded her namesake label PatBo in 2002 with an emphasis on bespoke couture eveningwear. Fast forward more than two decades, and the brand has gone global: It made its New York Fashion Week debut in 2021, opened two stores in the U.S. (New York City and Miami) and became a celebrity favorite with Beyoncé, Halsey, Issa Rae and many more sporting the label.

Bonaldi shared that she first realized PatBo could become an international success when a buyer from Harrods visited a trade show in Brazil and began buying the brand. Though it didn’t go global overnight, PatBo started building up its wholesale presence in Brazil and gradually growing its consumer base.

“I really think that PatBo is a lifestyle brand, so we can do beautiful swimwear and we can do a beautiful red carpet gown,” Bonaldi said. “Few brands can go from beachwear to a red carpet gown, so I think we have this elasticity in terms of category.” Looking ahead, Bonaldi teased the potential of further expanding the brand’s offerings into shoes and bags.

With most of PatBo’s clothing still produced in Brazil, the founder shared that New York Fashion Week offers a significant opportunity for her hometown artisans while also fueling meaningful connections with the brand’s audience. “It’s not just selling clothes at that moment, it’s a moment where I can show the soul of the brand,” she said of showing season after season.

In 2015, Bonaldi also established Costurando Sonhos, a free school in Uberlandia, Brazil, aimed at preserving craftsmanship through courses covering sewing and embroidery. In the full interview, Bonaldi shared her approach to maintaining her Brazilian culture through PatBo’s designs, the importance of celebrity placements, navigating the evolving digital marketing landscape and fostering a dedicated community.

Watch the full interview here.

This conversation was hosted on The Fashionista Network powered by interactive media platform Fireside, where viewers get the chance to participate and speak directly with industry figures. Learn more about The Fashionista Network here.

Fashionista’s audience includes 1 million site visitors, 110,000 newsletter subscribers and 4.74 million social media followers. Want to know how to reach them? Learn more.

#Patricia #Bonaldi #Built #PatBo #York #Fashion #Week #Favorite