ARABELLA MOFFITT: NYC Entrepreneur: Making Sierra Hotel Hoodies a Global Brand
In the bustling heart of New York City, where fashion meets entrepreneurship, a remarkable young woman is making waves with her brand, Sierra Hotel Hoodies. At just 17 years old, Arabella Moffit, a native New Yorker and a student at the prestigious Dalton School, has turned her passion for fashion into a thriving business that resonates with her peers and beyond.
The Inspiration Behind Sierra Hotel Hoodies
Arabella’s journey began with a simple yet profound idea: to create comfortable, stylish hoodies that resonate with the vibrant NYC lifestyle. Growing up in a city known for its diverse street fashion, Arabella was influenced by the eclectic styles she encountered daily. Her early sketches and designs often reflected her love for urban culture, music, and art. After noticing a gap in the market for high-quality, fashionable hoodies that could be worn in various settings—from casual outings to cozy nights in—she decided to take the plunge and launch Sierra Hotel Hoodies.
The brand’s name, inspired by the phonetic alphabet used in military communications, symbolizes clarity and connection. Arabella wanted her brand to embody strength and unity, appealing to individuals who value both comfort and style.
As a young designer what have you learned?
I have very much benefitted from the fact that people are more forgiving of your mistakes as a young designer, and I have absolutely made a few. On the positive side, I have really challenged myself this year not only in my designs and fabric choices but also in getting out of my comfort zone and embracing the marketing of my product both on social media and in person.
Who inspires you?
I am inspired by people that want to make a difference. Some do this on a big scale like Stella McCartney with her revolutionary approach and focus on sustainable fashion, others are voting with their wallets each time they choose not to be part of the destructive fast fashion movement and make a conscious choice to spend their money on sustainable, environmentally friendly, and ethically manufactured products. So both fashion leaders with a sustainable company ethos and individual buyers of sustainable fashion inspire me every day to be more creative and produce a higher quality product.
Tell us about what 2024 was like for Sierra Hotel Hoodies.
2024 was a whirlwind, the idea of making sustainable hoodies that I had two years ago really took off with fantastic reviews of the brand and a whole new incredibly supportive customer base. Winning Young Fashion Designer of the year was, of course, the absolute highlight for me in 2024, it was such an honor and has made me more determined to work harder and come up with new designs and concepts that harness my vision of beautiful effortless sustainable fashion for all women.
Why is your brand popular?
Consumers are wanting high quality fashion at appropriate prices – these are two things I am very focused on. Additionally, I create pieces that you can mix and match, wear them during the day and then dress them up for evening. I want my clients to feel the freedom of only using a carry-on bag when you travel because you can pack light and with unique pieces and be helping the planet. My goal is to create a wardrobe that matches your lifestyle, provides effortless glamour and comfort and will be your go to pieces for years to come.
What are your plans for 2025?
Sierra Hotel is coming out with three new collections in 2025. Firstly, for spring a new body shaping hoodie which looks amazing on everyone matched with a wide leg pin tucked pant. I am bringing back the asymmetrical top to allow mix and match options with all pieces having a larger SH logo – as requested by our loyal buyers. For summer I have five new pieces in the softness terry towel material in white, athletic gray and periwinkle. I have recently been loving a very pale pink shade so expect to see that over the summer too. We, of course, are already thinking about Fall so expect complete glamour for Fall / Winter 2025 – the mid roaring 20’s are back and we are going deep with luxurious velvets and high casual glamour like you have not seen before!
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