Why I Left Silicon Valley to Build a Slow Fashion Brand

Why I Left Silicon Valley to Build a Slow Fashion Brand

 

Founders of Zipperly at the artisan studio
With Monica Mei at the ZIPPERLY Artisan Studio holding our dust bag and the Picco Bag...


I spent over a decade building tech companies in Silicon Valley—raising funding, scaling products, writing code late at night, and pitching visions to investors by day. I was lucky enough to see two of the startups I co-founded get acquired. I had everything I thought I wanted: a fast-paced career, a network in the Valley, and the title of founder.

But somewhere between the growth charts, investor meetings, and app updates, I realized I was building products that lived fast and faded faster. I craved something tangible. Something that wouldn’t be obsolete in the next software update. I wanted meaning. I wanted roots.

That’s how ZIPPERLY was born.

Silvia with Miny Samy with Venice in the background
Photoshoot in Venice with our first collection. Carrying the Mini Samy Bag

 

ZIPPERLY is my answer to fast everything—fast fashion, fast growth, fast burnout. It’s a slow fashion brand inspired by my multicultural background (Brazilian-born, raised in an Italian home, now based in San Francisco). It’s a return to craftsmanship, to things made with intention and made to last.

Silvia in Venice with the Zoey Tote Bag

 

Our bags are made by hand in Civitanova Marche, Italy—the same town that supplies top luxury houses. But we do things differently: small batches, fair wages, no flashy logos. Just timeless design, full-grain leather, and bright linings that make you smile every time you open your bag.

I didn’t just leave Silicon Valley. I rewired how I think about success. ZIPPERLY isn’t just about handbags—it’s about honoring heritage, embracing global identity, and building a business rooted in quality, not quantity.

Silvia with the Samy Bag in Rosé

 

Thanks for being part of this journey.

—Silvia

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