Brazilian-born fashion designer Nina Pimenta made a splash at Boston Fashion Week with the debut of her elegant spring collection. Writer Laura DeSisto sat down with the Hingham resident to learn about her inspiring career journey, couture tailoring services, and expert wardrobe styling tips.
By Laura DeSisto
Nina Pimenta’s earliest memory is watching her maternal grandmother Maria José Santos work at her sewing machine in a sunny corner of her modest home in a small Brazilian town. Before long, Pimenta was sitting at that very same sewing machine, learning the craft of designing and making clothes from her grandmother.
Pimenta began modeling in Brazil as a pre-teen, and at just 16 years old she moved all the way to Portugal where she continued modeling and studied for five years at the Portuguese Fashion Institute. Her classwork included design, styling, fabric technology and the business of fashion. During this time, Pimenta began to develop her own design aesthetic and philosophy.
“I began to notice that when you are dressed well, and for your own personal comfort, people don’t remember your clothes, they remember you,” says Pimenta. She also came to believe that individuals should dress for the person they aspire to become. “Don’t dress for where you are, dress for where you want to be,” she says.
At the conclusion of her studies, Pimenta moved back to Brazil and in 2021, after a 20-year career in the fashion industry, she relocated to the United States to join her new husband in Hingham. “It was sort of like starting all over again,” she says. “Since I did not have a following or a reputation here, I began by simply tailoring clothes.”
Pimenta’s humble start on the South Shore soon led to bigger things as locals began to discover her immense talent. By the summer of 2022, she had acquired enough business to open her own small studio at the rear side of 60 South Street. She was hired to design an original dress for a local bride’s wedding rehearsal. “The bride fell in love with the dress and received many compliments,” says Pimenta. “Because of that dress, I started getting a lot of referrals for custom pieces.”
In addition to tailoring, Pimenta expanded her business to include a variety of styling services. She now offers wardrobe consultations, helping clients pinpoint the clothing styles that fit their body shape best. She teaches people how to “shop their closet,” to find staple pieces that can be mixed and matched in different ways, and also offers color consultations to individuals trying to determine the colors of clothing, accessories and makeup that are the most flattering. For some of her local customers, Pimenta has provided personal shopping services, or customized couture fashions for special occasions.
In the spring of 2023, Pimenta enthusiastically accepted an invitation to create a clothing collection for Boston En Vogue’s Modern Luxury showcase at Boston Fashion Week. After months of hard work and late nights designing and sewing her original pieces for the show, Pimenta’s very first collection was launched on October 14 of last year.
The theme for Pimenta’s collection was inspired by the feeling of awakening and newfound freedom that she felt after leaving her unhappy marriage. “The lightness of the fabrics and the well-structured shoulders demonstrate the power and understanding of myself that I was beginning to feel,” she says. “The voluminous, puffed sleeves represent the fullness of my future.”
As the models strode down the runway at the Newbury Street venue wearing her creations, Pimenta was struck by the significance of the moment.
“This was the realization of a childhood dream born many years ago by my grandmother’s side,” she says. “I never really thought that this little girl from Brazil would grow up and present her own designs in the U.S. I truly hope to inspire other women who feel trapped in some way to dig down deep and claim their own power and future.”
Style Spotlight
The popular Hingham restaurant Tosca served as the perfect location to capture images of a few pieces from Nina Pimenta’s latest clothing collection.
Photography: Kate Rogan, Ellie Finn Photography
Hair/Makeup: Lisa Grisolia, Picture Perfect by Lisa
Model: Hingham resident Amy Hendy
Audrey Dress
Nina Pimenta’s Audrey dress has a fitted waist, flared skirt and pockets. The textured organza fabric features a grid pattern and has just the right amount of transparency.
Amelia Silk Blouse
& Diana Pants
A hot pink Amelia silk blouse features an open back, structured shoulders and hand-embroidered stones. The straight-leg tuxedo-inspired Diana pants are made of a metallic, textured fabric.
Jackie Jacket
& Amy Shirtdress
Pimenta’s silk-lined metallic Jackie jacket features striking shoulders, an asymmetrical cut and stone embroidery. In this look, the jacket is paired with the versatile Mikado silk Amy shirtdress, which can be worn with pants or a fringe skirt as shown here.
Expert Wardrobe Styling Tips
One Pantsuit. Three Looks
When it comes to fashion, designer Nina Pimenta believes in quality over quantity, and that staple pieces can be worn in a multitude of ways to create distinct looks for different occasions and times of day.
We challenged Pimenta to do just that, by styling Hingham resident and fashion influencer Amy Hendy (IG @amylhendy), using a two-piece pantsuit from Hendy’s closet.
Pimenta says that suits can be “deconstructed,” with the jacket or pants worn separately and dressed up or down for any purpose. In this image, Hendy enjoys her morning coffee in a casual, but stylish sweater paired with the suit pants. She is ready for the morning carpool or a relaxed breakfast with friends.
An untucked white button-down shirt and a sleeveless, hooded sweatshirt are worn underneath the suit jacket to create an elevated look that might be appropriate for a meeting at work or school.
“Because the sweatshirt is sleeveless, it does not add bulk underneath the jacket,” says Pimenta. “If you can’t find a sleeveless hoodie, you can always cut the sleeves off a regular one.”
The jacket sleeves are pushed up slightly, revealing a bit of the white shirt, where Pimenta layers a silver cuff bracelet on each wrist. “Accessories should not be overlooked and can dramatically alter the overall feel of an outfit,” she says. “The cuffs make the look more distinct and fun and add a bit of shine.”
Here, in the dressiest of the three looks, Pimenta added in a piece from her own collection of original designs. In this look, her white, Mikado silk dress is fashioned as a shirt. The belt gives Hendy a defined shape. Open-toe silver heels complete the look. Hendy is ready for an afternoon in Boston followed by cocktails in a fancy bar.
