Satori Designs sets up shop in Solana Beach

After more than 20 years in business, Satori Designs has finally found a home in Solana Beach.

Located in the heart of Cedros Design District, the shop features an eclectic collection of women’s clothing and accessories in collaboration with local and international designers.

“This is my very first brick and mortar store,” said owner Roya Parviz.

Inspired by art, music, travel and tradition, Satori Designs offers an array of apparel and accessories from around the world.

Among a variety of other pieces, the shop features a Barcelona-based clothing line called Desigual and another exclusive line from France called Rene Derhy. Much of the jewelry, shawls and other accessories come from local designers Parviz has personally worked with over the years. There is also a section for home décor with wall art, other decorations and more.

“I’m always on the lookout for something different,” Parviz said.

Born in Iran, Parviz’s family came to San Diego following the Iranian Revolution. As a young girl, Parviz was exposed to the fashion industry by her mother, who studied fashion design in Austria.

Parviz went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in visual arts from UC San Diego. After an unfulfilling year in banking, she followed her mother’s footsteps and went on to study fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandizing in Los Angeles, where she lived and worked in the fashion industry for seven years.

Parviz started a wholesale business called Satori Designs in 1994. Her business has been a part of co-ops since she returned to San Diego a few years later.

She got her start in Solana Beach at Leaping Lotus. Also on Cedros Avenue, the store has more than 120 merchants in its 21,000-square-foot marketplace. Parviz later brought her business to Pangaea Outpost’s Pacific Beach and Del Mar locations.

When Pangaea Outpost closed its store at Flower Hill Promenade, Parviz decided to open her own shop. After more than two decades in business, she opened her very first boutique in July at 146 South Cedros Avenue.

“I was forced to look for something, which was a blessing in disguise,” Parviz said. “I never thought I could do it on my own.”

Having become a staple in the greater San Diego fashion community since the late 1990s, Parviz often gives back to the community through her business. Satori Designs, she said, has participated in a number of charity fashion shows and fundraising events for local charities and foundations, including St. Madeleine Sophie’s Center, Epilepsy Foundation, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and others.

“I’ve been doing that for years,” Parviz said. “It just really feels good to give that kind of a feeling in the community.”

Whether working with charities or with clients in her boutique, Parviz said she most enjoys getting to know people in the community. With established customers in Del Mar, Solana Beach and neighboring communities, she has already seen a lot of familiar faces as well as new ones at Satori Designs.

“I love the creative part just as much as I love the people part,” Parviz said. “I’m not really in it to make a quick sale; I’m in it for a long-term relationship.”

For more information about Satori Designs, call 619-708-9357 or visit satori-designs.com.