Wards Way Podcast

Tailored Power For Women In Miami

• Wards Marine Electric • Season 6 • Episode 9

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Sun, salt air, and a city that moves fast—Miami rewards people who show up ready. We sit down with Damiani’s creative director, Daniella Estrella, to trace how true Italian tailoring helps women lead with confidence, especially in a climate where breathable fabrics and sharp construction matter more than logos. From boardrooms to boat show mixers, Daniella explains why quality materials and the right fit turn clothing into a strategic edge.

We dig into the details you can feel: canvassed jackets that shape to your body, horsehair interlinings that breathe, and Super 150 wools that stay cool in South Florida while keeping their polish. Daniela breaks down gram weights that work for heat (think 240 to 260 grams), the must-own navy suit, and how to build a modular wardrobe that stretches across meetings, travel, and last-minute dinners. If wide leg pants have ever felt “not for you,” wait until they’re cut to your rise, inseam, and preferred shoe height—fit changes everything. She also shares how she scouts fabrics at Milano Unica a year ahead to bring timeless pieces, not trend-chasing fast fashion, to clients.

The episode celebrates Damiani’s 39th spring season with visiting Italian partners like Scuderi, Alessandro Gerardi, Burwich, and Massimo, underscoring the relationships that keep quality high and supply reliable. We touch on Miami International Boat Show buzz, a loyal international clientele from Central and South America, and why consultations at Damiani stay free and pressure-free—come with inspiration photos, or come with nothing but questions. Whether you’re a CEO, a founder, or simply someone who wants clothes that last, this conversation shows how smart tailoring can elevate your day and extend your wardrobe’s life.

If this spoke to you, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a confidence upgrade, and leave a quick review—your support helps us bring more craft and clarity to your closet.

Wards Marine Electric
https://www.wardsmarine.com/

Wards Way YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/@WardsWay75

Miami Vibe And Show Open

SPEAKER_02

Miami. Global playground celebrated for its beautiful oceans and famous lifestyle. Behind all of the sunshine and success are people, products, and companies powering this magic city. This season, the Wards Way podcast brings you face to face with those who energize Miami's iconic way of life and bring us closer to the water.

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to the Miami International Boat Show. This is Wards Way 2026.

Meet Daniela And Damiani’s Story

SPEAKER_02

Welcome to the Wards Way podcast. I'm here today with my friend Daniela Estrella, who is the creative director of Damiani. Welcome.

SPEAKER_01

Yes. Hi, thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02

Absolutely. So today is a unique and a very favorite show of mine because you are going to talk about women and high-end fashion and how to shop for it and how to make us all look beautiful.

SPEAKER_01

Excellent. Yeah, so this is a passion I've had since I was little. I grew up in the business. My father started Damiani with his business partner Carmine. And everybody always asked, What about me? What about me? What about me?

SPEAKER_02

Including me. That was me here.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. All the wives, all the girlfriends, all the friends that knew about our store were like, There's nothing like this for us in Miami. Until now. That's right. So you're one of our first clients

The Gap In Women’s High-End Tailoring

SPEAKER_01

to have a fully custom suit made for you, and we are so grateful because we love you so much and you look so great in it.

SPEAKER_02

But I'll tell you, you made it very easy, and and and it it's important because um, you know, I'm one of many CEOs and one of many, you know, business owners, and it is difficult. And women, we have a hard time, and we need it's like we either have to go to some boutique, which is wonderful if you happen to know that or happen to know somebody. But as far as a place like this that's known, so Damiani was formed and founded in 1987. So you're coming up on 40 years, and so I was here and we were doing um some events for our staff and for for people with our company, and I made the comment that said, I wish I could have some type of shopping like this for me. And you pulled me aside and said, Let's go have some fun. Let me do your measurements. Showed me some some colors and some suit patterns, and then, like, I think it was only about four weeks later, maybe even less, and that could have been because of the weather. It came in and it fit me perfectly. And just that feeling of knowing that you have something very fashionable but also high quality. It gives you the confidence to go into that meeting. And in South Florida, every meeting could be that next meeting, you know, and the people that you're running into and the high-end, uh, high-end high net worth individuals that we all have to interface with, it's wonderful to have that confidence to look that way, and you bring that.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, oh, I love that. I love that you're happy with it. So, one thing that I've noticed is that there's not

Fabrics, Fit, And Confidence

SPEAKER_01

high-end tailoring for women. You know, you go to these stores and maybe you pay a thousand five hundred dollars for a suit, and it is so poorly made with polyester fabric, and it makes me sick.

SPEAKER_02

Right.

SPEAKER_01

So, I tried bringing the Italian tailoring and tradition into women's wear. So, whether you want a high-waisted pant, a low-waisted pant, wide legs, skinny, yes, we take your needs into account and we pick based off that. If you wanted a lightweight, like what you're wearing right now, it's a L'Oreal Piana Australie Super 150, lightweight, breathable, wears fantastic. It has a beautiful sheen to the fabric. The finish is just you're not gonna find that absolutely off the rack at some random store. Um, so that's really what we tried to bring in.

SPEAKER_02

What about international clientele? So, you know, we're here, it's the Miami boat show starts next week. I know you guys are having an event, which I'm gonna let you talk about that. Talk about your international clientele. Do you have people coming in, men, women from

International Clients And Legacy

SPEAKER_02

all over the world?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so since we've been in Miami for almost 40 years now, we're pretty well established and we have a huge clientele in Central America and South America. A lot of people from Honduras, Guatemala, Costa Rica, and they just come to Miami and drive straight up. Stop. Yeah. They drive straight to the Miani and they're like, I came here just for three days and I had to stop here. That's right. You know, or their kids are getting married, and they're like, there's nowhere else that we trust in the world to have our tuxedos made, our suits made. And it just feels fantastic.

SPEAKER_02

And it is a family business, and I do want to, and so now you're gonna eventually be second generation, I'm third generation. Tell me what it's like being the creative director because it must really fill your passion. Because somebody like me, you took somebody like me and said, Okay, you know what, girl, you need a you need a good quality suit. And and honestly, I had never had something that was tailored to me, made of a quality like you just mentioned, Laura Piani, Australia, 150. I mean, you that just rattled off your tongue. Talk to me about being the creative director here and and what you get to do with that is the second generation business

Creative Director Life And Fabric Shows

SPEAKER_02

owner.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so being creative director means that I get to go to the fabric shows that have.

SPEAKER_02

And where are they?

SPEAKER_01

The fabric shows that I go to are in Milan, so it's Milano Unica. That's a tough gig. Very I mean the struggle is horrible. Okay. Um, so I just got back from Milano Unica. It was showing the spring summer 27 collection of fabrics. From there, designers and buyers will pick what fabrics they want to create a collection for spring summer 27, which will show in June. So I'll go back in June. In June.

SPEAKER_02

So you're a year ahead. So what year ahead?

SPEAKER_01

Okay, perfect. Okay, so you go back in June. So I go back in June and I'll buy from collections. So I'll go to the Zenya collection and pick out from them. I'll go to um Burwich, I'll go to Alessandro Gerardi, I'll go to anyone who's showing a collection, and I'll buy from their collection to get shipped for the next spring summer.

SPEAKER_02

So is there a way, and I'm totally throwing you on the spot here, uh do you see in the future maybe 2028 a woman's collection? Possibly. I mean, I could pick out a spot here in the store. We we could find like a whole little little area, and and I say that in a teasing way,

Bringing Italian Craft To Women’s Wear

SPEAKER_02

but um, there are a lot of women powerhouses. You know, you look at some of the CEOs of cruise companies that are here, huge corporations, and and there's just a a requirement to be able to dress and be in high fashion, but also quality, like you keep saying, it's the quality, it's not so much that it's high fashion, it's quality and and products that are gonna last you many years into your career. These are investments, exactly.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so the only thing that's on the market right now are those high fashion pieces, whether you go to those designer brands, right? But there's not a lot of quality behind that. If you really break down the garment, it's fast fashion. Okay. Um, and we're trying to avoid that. So we want to bring the Italian tailoring into women's wear, and we want you to be able to alter it, use it, have it shape to your body because that's what canvas does. That's the interlining of the of the jacketing. The canvas starts shaping to your body and it just gets.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, you know, I didn't even know that.

SPEAKER_01

I just thought that was the pretty part. So you're saying this part that we in the inside, okay, from the outer fabric to the inner lining, okay. There's something called a canvas. It's made out of horse hair. Okay. On good, on good side. We're we're only talking about good hair. Okay. Okay. It's natural horse hair, and it'll start shaping to your body. So it just gets better the

Breathable Wool And Miami-Friendly Weights

SPEAKER_01

more and more and more you wear it.

SPEAKER_02

And I feel like these products, you know, you'll hear things like wool. And and back in the day, you know, I heard wool, and that's what people wore in Ohio when it's 10 degrees and it's cold, and yet I'm wearing a wool suit that's breathable, that's light, that's so soft, and I'm wearing it in South Florida, and it's gonna be in the 70s, and it's not gonna be sweating. Nope. It's beautiful, it's breathable, so talk about that.

SPEAKER_01

So it's a very high twist way of weaving the fabric that still allows air to go in and out, and that has a lot to do with the weight of the fabric.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

So here's the light fabric or you want a lighter weight, but not too light. Okay. So I would say like 220 grams is pretty much the lightest you'd want to go because then it starts getting a little bit transparent, and if you're working with the lighter fabrics, um but something from let's say 240 to 260 grams, that's like our bread and butter here in Miami. Because that's perfect

Styling, Versatility, And Wardrobe Building

SPEAKER_01

for Miami weather.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, so you as the creative director, the the perfect color suit for somebody in South Florida is what I know, I know. Uh, okay, so your number one suit would always be blue. Well, thank goodness. Yeah I got the number.

SPEAKER_01

I would say the first suit you need is a blue suit. And is that South Florida region or is that anywhere? I would say anywhere. Anywhere. So versatile, it could go with anything.

SPEAKER_02

So we have a lot of clients that yes come from other countries that are maybe in warm clients, um climates, but what about we have clients that maybe come from uh the UK or we have clients that come from the New England and they have to go back. Are you able to find you know pieces that they can wear here and wear there?

SPEAKER_01

And yeah, so transitional pieces. Okay. My favorite thing is styling.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, okay.

SPEAKER_01

So I love hearing what the clients needs are, where they're going to be. Where they're wearing it to. Where they're wearing it to. And we want to make the most outfits possible with whatever garment they want to buy. Makes sense. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Makes sense. So you can mix and match two tops and bottoms, suits, shirts. It's important because I think that building a wardrobe is is

39th Season Event And Italian Partners

SPEAKER_02

part of building your career. And I think that people, um, I'd like to make a suggestion that I let's talk about your event first because um the event that's today, yeah, what do you have going on?

SPEAKER_01

You have So today we are having our 39th spring season kick. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02

39.

SPEAKER_01

39 spring summers have come and gone at Damiani. So we are celebrating 39 years with four brands that we'd like to shut out. One of them is Scuderi. They're handmade garments in Italy. They do tailored clothing, so suits, jackets, trousers, anything of that sort. Are these from different regions of Italy? Yes. Okay. So uh Scuderi is in the central part, okay, close to Rome, about an hour outside of Rome, and they've been creating quality garments for years and years. They produce for some of the majors, which we can't tell you who.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, but still, nice.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, they're big players in this field. And then we also have Alessandro Gerardi, which is a giant shirt manufacturer, great brand. They have top-notch fabrics, quality main. We also have Burwitch, who has been creating pants for years and years. We have the owner who joined us here today, very excited to have him, as well as his export manager, who's

Future Women’s Event And Custom Options

SPEAKER_01

a legend in the business.

SPEAKER_02

But that's a big deal that these people came to Miami, came to your store because that's the relationship that you have. And by the way, if people can hear in the background, you can hear nothing but Italians yelling back and forth and they're eating and they're talking about their suits. So, anyway, yeah. And the and the last one, the one the last one is Massimo.

SPEAKER_01

He is from Badamas, so it's a traditional five-pocket pant made the territorial way. He is the owner of the company. Oh, he's about third generation, he has a factory. He also came in person to celebrate our 39th year.

SPEAKER_02

But that means that it's significant enough for them to come. I mean, as much as they're our family relationships and and and networking and and history together, the reality is that they're also coming here because of the economic impact, because they know there will be sales, they know the people that they're gonna meet. I will tell you, just in the morning and being here, I've seen dozens of people come in, high-end, whether they're lawyers or accountants or entrepreneurs, and they're here for a very short time and they already have their orders and they've been waiting for this, and and it's like old home week. So I think that you should be very proud of that. And my suggestion was gonna be we need to do a women's one. So I'm just throwing it out. Something with the women. Sometime. 2027.

SPEAKER_01

2027.

SPEAKER_02

I mean, I'm new to this, but look at me, I'm already pushing it. You know, I'm addicted.

SPEAKER_01

Because once you get to do it, exactly, and then you're gonna be able to get journeys. There's so many women that just don't have anywhere to shop. Right.

Boat Show Uplift And Trend Timing

SPEAKER_01

And here, once you get the fit down, you could order whatever you want in any beautiful fabric, you want to make it look like a tweed from Chanel, you want to, but even nicer.

SPEAKER_02

Right. No, I agree with you.

SPEAKER_01

These are wools, cotton, wool silk blends, full silk, whatever you want, we can make for you.

SPEAKER_02

And and it, you don't, you don't have to be um a a lawyer or a CEO or anybody. You just if you just want quality clothes, and also it can be a fun thing to do with your husband or your significant other to come in and have him try on some clothes and you try on some clothes, and you both walk out a beautiful couple.

SPEAKER_01

It's the way it should be. Yeah, and like oversized blazers are so in right now, and people are like, I don't, where'd you get yours? Where'd you get yours? I was like, I made it.

SPEAKER_02

I made it, I made it. From one of the four, you know, uh manufacturers that are dealing with my store that are here in person. So yeah. Exactly. No, and that's the way it should be. So, do you have any interaction with the Miami boat show? Do you see customers that come in? You know, as a marine electric company because the boat show's coming up. I'm just curious if you ever hear about it.

SPEAKER_01

We do have an uptick during that time. We got a lot of international clients that are here to buy boats, sure, seaboats,

Try Wide Legs: Why Fit Beats Trends

SPEAKER_01

on the market. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02

Just come to Florida for be on the water. For fun. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01

So we do see them always around the same time of year, and we have that sort of clientele. Okay, so what's coming up that's new? When's your you said your next trip is in June. My next trip is in June, yeah. Because I just came back from two and a half weeks in Italy. Okay. So I basically already have everything picked out for what's coming for fall winter. Oh, good. And I have ideas already for spring, spring. For spring twenty seven the following year.

SPEAKER_02

Now that's gotta be interesting to be that far. Do you find that to be helpful? Do you find that to be it's good to lay out your plan, your future?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, absolutely. It's helpful, especially because the US tends to be a couple seasons behind when it comes to trends. Like the Italians were wearing wide leg pants, you know, three years ago. Right. Now is when you see people a little bit more open to wearing wider leg pants. I'm one of those people.

SPEAKER_02

I struggled, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

But see, you're wearing wide leg pants.

SPEAKER_02

I have to say, when I was at first trying them on, and and you were telling me that, I was looking at you like, okay, you know, I'll try it, but I have to say, try it, because you know, when you get

Shoes, Trunk Shows, And Casual Luxury

SPEAKER_02

a piece, the the the difference is I have tried on those pants at a regular department store. They did not fit me. They were not either, they were too long, they were the wrong. And so when it's custom fit to you, you can get away with those styles, and I think that's what people need to recognize.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, a fit is everything.

SPEAKER_02

A fit is everything.

SPEAKER_01

You need a good tailor and you need a good cobbler.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, you know what? You're right. Okay, so are you guys gonna handle the shoe thing too? On the men's side, we have a guy. Oh, you have a guy, we have a guy. There's a guy.

SPEAKER_01

There's a guy.

SPEAKER_02

Oh, I'm excited.

SPEAKER_01

He takes care of all my shoes.

SPEAKER_02

Okay, really? Well, I need to know that guy. Okay, I mean that guy's gonna be. I gotta meet the guy. I'm gonna be heard it here today. I'm gonna meet the guy. I'm excited about that. Um, well, I'm excited for your event. I know, and you have another one that's coming up next month, too.

SPEAKER_01

We have another one in two weeks. Oh, okay. It's uh Marco Pescarolo Trunk Show. Marco Pescarolo is a brand from Napoli. Okay, and they're gonna be here in two weeks.

SPEAKER_02

And what separates their brand, let's say, from the brands today?

SPEAKER_01

A little bit more casual. Okay. Okay. So they do like tropical wools in a five pocket. Oh, nice. They do little zipper jackets, they do they do it.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, but we all need that in our wardrobe too. You can't always be one-dimensional.

SPEAKER_01

You need to be able to always need to be wearing, you know, a three-piece suit.

SPEAKER_02

Right. Especially here.

SPEAKER_01

Something more

Diverse Clientele And Easy Consultations

SPEAKER_01

chill.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, well, because you never know the situation you could be in here. We're we're definitely always thrown into dinners or to different and and speaking of which, I did want to talk about the economic impact because, for example, this morning I've met people, owners of restaurants, yep, sports, lawyers, accountants. So it's really interesting, the group of people that all appreciate the clothing from here.

SPEAKER_01

I love it. It is a very diverse city, and we get a very diverse clientele here, and we're really grateful.

SPEAKER_02

So if anybody's nervous, if there's if there's somebody out there in the audience going, I I kinda like what these ladies are saying, but they come in to Damiani, they ask for Daniela, and they can just come in and say, Please fit me for a suit. What do they need to bring? What do they need to have? Like a comfortable pair of shoes, the shoe length that they like, like the height.

SPEAKER_01

Any inspiration photos, okay, colors, color, whatever they want. They can come in with everything, they can come in with nothing.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_01

We'll we'll work with them, we'll have a consultation. Everything's free, no pressure. You don't like anything, you don't have to buy anything.

SPEAKER_02

I have to say it was very pleasurable, especially for somebody like me who really uh, you know, I know

Lapels, Buttons, And A Warm Close

SPEAKER_02

I know what I like to look like, but I don't know that I knew any of the techniques behind it, the quality of the material, how this is sewn, way it was made, pick collars versus pick lapels, excuse me. Pick pels. Peak lapels. Peak lapels. Versus what am I calling? Pick collars. Notch lapels. I I didn't even know that those were options, and then certain numbers of buttons, but what I'm saying is you walked me through and you and you made it such a wonderful and fun experience. And I encourage all women out there, if you think you don't, um you can't find it, or you think that there's not a custom place out there for you, Damiani's the place.

SPEAKER_01

We have you covered.

SPEAKER_02

They've been here for 40 years, Daniela will take care of you. Absolutely. Thank you for sitting and spending some time with me today. And I love you. Good luck at your events, and I look forward to future shopping. Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_00

Thanks for joining us. Make sure you subscribe to the Wards Wave Podcast. We're just getting started.

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Kristina Hebert

Host