It was a young woman speeding by on the back of a motorbike that caught the eye of Dierdre Roffoni when she was vacationing on Formentera, an island off the coast of Spain. “I was really intrigued by the girls that were on these mopeds. They would ride around in these little bathing suit sets with a shirt tied at the waist and Ray-Bans,” she explains.
This scene stayed with her and ultimately sparked an idea. Once she returned home to Los Angeles, she got to work on a new line that embodied the carefree spirit she saw on the Spanish island, and began to build what would become Xirena, a name that means mermaid in Spanish. “I started making my own sets of lingerie that had panels of metallic fabric,” she says. The shimmery effect was what helped spark the name: “They were almost like scales.”
What started as a small array of coordinated lingerie soon became a full collection with lightweight button downs, cotton pants and loose voile dresses in bright colors and prints. “It's funny because I wear neutrals, but the brand has a lot of color,” Roffoni says. “And that's really what people find the most fun about it.” It’s that cool California attitude around fashion that connects with the Xirena customer.
In the middle of our interview, she pauses and asks me “What’s your sign?” noting that she often poses this question in interviews with new team members. “There are certain stereotypes of zodiac signs,” she says, a Sagittarius herself. “With me, it’s about being a little bit restless. I’m constantly on the go. A friend of mine calls me Magellan, because I’m always on the hunt for something unique and different.”
Roffoni describes her personal style as simple yet eclectic, often mixing designer pieces with casual cotton. “I grew up in central California in the 70s; I was raised near the beach,” she says. She also cites music from the Eagles and Don Henley as influences for the brand, adding to its nostalgic and easygoing vibe. While Roffoni knows she’ll continue to evolve the brand and bring in new sources of inspiration, its signature laidback attitude will remain the throughline.
— who is also the founder of Findings, a fashion showroom for labels like Ulla Johnson, Raquel Allegra and Marie Lichtenberg — looks forward to opening a standalone store that sells not just Xirena, but ceramics and jewelry that fit the brand’s aesthetic. “It's not just about clothing,” she says. “Especially now, people really want to have personalized spaces that include an array of products”. She envisions opening up in L.A. and bringing in brand collaborators who share a similar ethos, curating a space that speaks to the Xirena woman and gives her space to discover and explore.
As summer begins, Xirena’s gauzy dresses and drapey tops are what many might consider the essential vacation wardrobe — breathable, packable but also effortlessly elegant. Whether it be in L.A., Formentera or somewhere in between, Roffoni’s designs bring an ease. “One of my customers said something to me that I thought was really interesting,” she says.
