Meet Lorena Witte | Personal Stylist & Founder of Mosaic Styling

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lorena Witte and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lorena, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I am a Brazilian-American, maternally Brazilian and paternally American. Although I was born and raised in Arizona, I spent my early childhood summers in Fortaleza, Ceara, where all of my family on my mother’s side currently resides. The impact of my dual upbringing is monumental, to say the least, and has a direct correlation to my career and who I am today. As with most children of immigrants, my background has resulted in an insatiable drive when it comes to my career and success. There is no greater motivation for my entrepreneurial spirit than knowing my mother moved to the United States to provide for a better life for my sister and I. Additionally, my love for fashion and styling was inherited from my mother, who led a successful career as a pattern-maker in Brazil and later started her own clothing line when she moved to the United States in the 90s. She has always been a fashionista and instilled that passion within me from an early age, cultivating my own sense for personal style. My father, a science professor and researcher, consistently encouraged creativity and open-mindedness within me which I believe not only led to my artistic abilities but also my drive to go against the grain and create my own brand. In retrospect, my bilingual and bi-cultural childhood has allowed me to grow up accustomed to different perspectives which has uniquely impacted me today.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As a stylist, my mission with Mosaic is to simplify personal styling by making wardrobe selections exciting and accessible. Whether clients want to elevate and streamline their closet, organize their daily travel looks, or create the perfect outfit for a special event, Mosaic works virtually to curate unique style – piece by piece. When it comes to my philosophies, I believe there are no rules in fashion, and encourage eclectic pairings to achieve unique personal style. I also believe in the importance of fit and quality and emphasize the cultivation of investment pieces. What sets my styling apart is the use of digital outfit decks, which helps clients visualize their looks in a more approachable manner. I also act as a digital shopping concierge, using my vast brand knowledge and luxury fashion experience to gather links from all facets of the internet. Additionally, by naming my brand, Mosaic, I intended to create a community for others to find style inspiration not only from me but from each other. Getting to where I am now was not easy and took much resilience, dedication, and consistency. Not only did I study fashion for four years, I also networked with industry professionals, assisted local stylists and fashion CEOs, worked in luxury fashion sales for two years, and studied abroad in Italy to gather well-rounded experience, It took trials and errors, self-discovery, as well as patience to overcome any challenges faced along the way.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love where I live and believe there is so much Scottsdale/Phoenix has to offer. Here are my favorite spots in the city:

Coffee:
Four till Four – best cinnamon vanilla iced latte
Berdena’s – best mocha/avo toast
Lola Coffee – love their cinnamon maple latte & breakfast burritos
Dialog phx – obsessed with their strawberry matcha
Crete Tearoom – everything is amazing but love their strawberry matcha & yuzu soda
Matcha Cafe Maiko – Best matcha in AZ

Dining:
Uchi – best omakase sushi experience
Sumomaya – Mexican asian fusion
Harumi – best sushi in AZ
Wren & Wolf – amazing food & environment
Cibo – best authentic Italian in AZ
Dominick’s – best steakhouse

Dive Bars:
Gracie’s
Valley Bar
Coach House
Gilligan’s

High-end cocktails:
Trophy room (speakeasy underneath Wren & Wolf)
Thea rooftop at the Global Ambassador
Second Story
Scapegoat (underrated casual wine/beer spot in Old Town)

Shopping:
Now or Never
Dialog
Local Nomad

Hangout spots:
Schmooze coffee shop – great for remote working/hanging out
Le market at the Global Ambassador – great for remote working/hanging out
The Churchill

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Where do I begin? I am so lucky to have had many mentors and supporters in all aspects of life. First, I would like to shoutout my loving parents and family that have always encouraged me to pursue what I love in life, never failing to be there when I need advice or reassurance. I’d also like to shoutout my amazing boyfriend, a successful business-owner and entrepreneur himself, who never fails to inspire me to do my best. I’ve had many amazing professors and guides throughout my fashion education through Arizona State’s FIDM program but I am eternally grateful for my friendship and mentorship with Sam Abrahart, the founder of the Mayfair Group, a celebrity-loved clothing brand pushing the boundaries on creating a safe space for mental health narratives. During my time as her personal assistant, she showed me the ropes of the fashion industry and taught me the ins-and-outs of running a business.

Website: https://mosaicstylist.com

Instagram: @mosaicstylist (https://www.instagram.com/mosaicstylist/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA%3D%3D)

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mosaicstylist?_t=8eXoIQHhcly&_r=1

Image Credits
Models:
Mj Hedderman
Sarah Cuervo
Jordyn Schneider
Sam Abrahart
Amberley Rae
Maya Lorimer
Tanya Angulo

Photographers:
Chey Franke
Bryanna Lund
Everett Milloy

Beauty Team:
Hair: Natalie Simoes
MUA: Oanh Than