In Conversation with Isabella Soto
Isabella Soto is cool, a creative with a unique eye and a business woman at the forefront of a new retailer 'rotating brand' concept ~ she's the Founder & Creative Director of Miami based online retailer and Marloe Marloe stockist, 8vo Ático (Pronounced [oc-tah-voh-a-ti-ko]). We spoke to Isabella about her typical day, how she came up with the concept for 8vo Ático & how she prioritises sustainability within her business.
We want to know more about you! What does a typical day look like?
My days tend to vary a lot, but my mornings are pretty much the same routine. I start by waking up around 7am, eyeball my work/personal emails before getting up so I know what I have to do during the day. Then I take my sweet time doing my morning beauty routine (I really love putting on my serums, face creams, etc). Followed by waking up my pups to take them for a walk. After my dogs are all set, I get myself a huge cup of coffee, and sit down to work for at least 2 hrs before I do my daily exercise routine. Then it’s pretty much working, shooting content or running errands around the city.
How did the idea for 8vo Ático come to life? It’s such a unique concept.
At first, all I knew is that I wanted to do something different and to really make it stand out from any other store that I knew about. But the actual concept came to me when visiting Copenhagen for the first time, it was like I knew I had to somehow bring the coolest brands to Miami under one roof, but since there were so many that I liked, I came up with a modern “rotating concept”. With a goal to give the 8 brands a unique spotlight in every single one of my collections & not just having a huge amount of inventory from multiple brands at the same time.
And how is the journey going, what are the most challenging & fulfilling parts of running your business?
It has been the most challenging thing I’ve ever done mentally. Some days they are simply AMAZING, but then some others I question myself “what have I gotten myself into”. It is really hard to start a business from scratch, and to not feel worried most of the days about the future of it. However, the idea that I’ve created something that is actually unique and considered cool by other people, is what really gets me going to not give up on it.
How do you prioritise sustainability in your business journey?
We only work with brands that practice ethical production, and that are environmentally responsible. We are also a hyper curated store, which means that we keep our selections for each collection + stock numbers as low as possible, that way we can ensure that we are able to move the inventory quickly and effectively.
Tell us about your Neighbourhood, and your morning coffee order?
I just recently moved to a new area called “Coconut Grove” it is one of the few walkable parts of Miami with lots of parks, greenery, and very dog friendly - which is important since I have 2 English Bulldogs. My morning coffee is a double shot almond milk Cappuccino, but on some special mornings I love having a Cortadito, which is an extra strong Cuban coffee.
What are 3 must-knows/local secrets for anyone visiting or considering making it their home?
3 of the most known places here in Miami for sure are lunch/dinner at Mandolin, the shops around the Design District & Lagniappe for a wine night. But, the real gems of the city are Boia De for dinner or La Natural for the best sourdough pizzas, the Sundays at Lincoln Rd for vintage flee market & All Day café for the most delicious coffee and weekend vibes.
And your home, what makes it a special space to you?
The décor and that I have a lot of outdoor spaces which I love! I have always loved interior design, but this apartment was very challenging to decorate, so it actually made me choose wisely and develop a more detailed-oriented eye than ever before.
How do you use your Marloe Marloe pieces? Where in your home will we find them?
I have them all over my apartment for multiple uses! The STEVIE Vase & BOBBY Candle are in my living room area, the LULLY Vase is part of my dinner table décor, and last but not least I have the ORGANIC DISPLAY PLATE that lives at the top of my entry way table, which I use to place my keys, mask and any other essentials I need when heading out.
How covid has affected the business? What has been the biggest takeaway from 2020 and what's next for you and 8vo Ático?
COVID has affected us a lot in our sales. People are not buying a lot of statement pieces at the moment, instead everyone is wearing sweats or leggings, but since we are all about making a statement it has been challenging to move some inventory. Take things more slowly, think about each buying we do for our next collection with more caution, and not to say yes to everything that is presented to me at the moment.
Visit & explore 8vo Ático