The Woman Behind the Vision: Cecie Mestre

Entrepreneur Cecie Mestre on creativity, ambition, family influence, and building something of her own.

Your entrepreneurial journey began when you were still a teenager . What do you remember most about that version of yourself, and did you already know then that you wanted to build something of your own?

I was around 17 and a freshman in college when I started my first little business. I bought canvas belts from an army surplus store, dyed them, and embellished the buckles with Swarovski crystals. I even found a wholesale crystal distributor to lower my costs. Looking back, I was already thinking about margins without even realizing it.

After dreaming that I was selling them to boutiques across Miami, I partnered with my best friend Nicole and created NiCe—a combination of Nicole and Cecie. We eventually sold them to one of the most prominent boutiques in South Miami, and at that age, it felt like such a huge accomplishment.

I didn’t consciously think, “I’m going to be an entrepreneur,” but I learned early that if I could envision something and was willing to work for it, I could make it real.

Your mother played an important role in shaping your sense of style and creativity. What did she teach you that still shows up in the way you create today?

My mother taught me work ethic. She raised three children while working incredibly hard to provide for our family, and that discipline still shapes the way I approach entrepreneurship today.

My grandmother was my greatest style influence. She was effortlessly elegant—pearls, tailored clothing, ballet flats—and she worked in women’s fashion. As a teenager, she would dress me in pieces from her store that were meant for much older women.

I remember how those clothes instantly made me feel more sophisticated and confident. That was one of my earliest lessons in the power of fashion: it can transform not only how a woman looks, but how she feels. That idea still influences everything I create today.

Theme Dresser began with styling from your living room and eventually grew through Instagram, pop-ups and into a boutique. What was the moment when you realized this was becoming something much bigger than you initially imagined?

I don’t think there was one single moment. It was a series of little confirmations—clients sending photos, designers wanting to collaborate, and people connecting with what I was building.

One moment that stands out was showcasing at Splash Paris, an international fashion trade show, and meeting buyers from Greece, Spain, and Italy. I watched people stop at the booth, touch the hats, ask questions, and become genuinely curious about the story behind them.

That was when I realized I had created something distinctive. I saw that the hats weren’t just products—they created an emotional connection. What had started so organically from my living room had the potential to become something much bigger.

Closing Theme Dresser and beginning CÉCIE must have been both an ending and a new chapter. What gave you the courage to let go of something you had already built in order to create something new?

This question brings tears to my eyes because it was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever had to make. Theme Dresser gave me a place in the fashion world, helped me build my name, and gave me a platform to show what I was capable of creating.

But over time, I was wearing too many hats—boutique owner, designer, stylist, content creator, managing employees and representing other brands, all while being a mother of two. Eventually, the constant demand began to take away my peace, and I knew that if I was feeling it, my children were feeling it too.

So I chose less—less overhead, less pressure, fewer moving parts—and more space for my children, my creativity, and myself.

CÉCIE came from that decision. It was about taking everything Theme Dresser taught me and building something more intentional and more aligned with the woman and designer I had become.

The MAGDALENA piece carries the idea of an ending becoming a beginning. Is there a personal chapter in your own life that inspired that meaning?

Absolutely. MAGDALENA was born from closing Theme Dresser and beginning CÉCIE. It felt like the end of one version of myself and the beginning of another—a death and rebirth.

The collection was numerology-inspired and deeply personal. Each piece carried a story connected to family, relationships, or experiences from that season of my life. One was inspired by my son, another by my daughter, and another by my grandmother.

It became my most intentional collection because I wasn’t simply designing beautiful hats. I was creating pieces with meaning. MAGDALENA marked not only the launch of a new brand, but a new season in my life.

The story behind PALMA is incredibly personal—inspired by your son Julian writing “I LOVE YOU” with palm fronds. How important is it for you that the pieces you create carry memories and stories rather than simply follow trends?

I want every woman who puts on one of my hats to feel something. For me, the story behind a piece matters just as much as the way it looks.

PALMA is especially personal because it represents motherhood—not only showing up for your children, but also those beautiful moments when they show up for you. My son supported and protected me during a time when I felt very vulnerable, and that became the emotional foundation of the design.

When a woman wears PALMA, I want her to feel protected, appreciated, and loved.

Trends come and go, but a story, a memory, or a feeling can stay with you forever.

Hand-painted hats became an important part of your creative identity. You’ve spoken about a trip to Mexico that sparked that idea. What happened on that trip that changed the direction of your work?

I was working as a stylist and personal shopper and knew I wanted to create a product of my own—I just hadn’t found it yet.

On a family trip to Mexico, I discovered these hand-painted hats and instantly fell in love. I posted one to my stories and started getting messages from women asking about it. I remember sitting on the beach, watching my daughter walk by wearing one, and having this intuitive, almost spiritual moment where I just knew: this is it.

I tracked down the artist, placed my first order, filled my suitcase with hats, and brought them home to Miami.

The next day, I did a photoshoot with a girlfriend, shared them, and sold out almost immediately. I had found my product—and my canvas.

CÉCIE brings together Miami energy, craftsmanship, travel, and a distinctive sense of femininity. How do you decide which influences become part of the CÉCIE world?

My inspiration comes from many different places, which is part of what keeps CÉCIE personal and evolving.

Travel is a huge source of inspiration. I’ve created collections around the colors, architecture, mood, and energy of places I’ve visited, but I’m also inspired by memories, life experiences, and even dreams.

My Fall/Winter 2026 collection, for example, was inspired by a recurring dream I had after closing my store. Other times, inspiration comes from a specific setting, like creating an equestrian-inspired capsule for a polo event.

I don’t follow one formula. I trust my intuition. If something stays with me and moves me, that’s usually when I know there’s something worth creating.

Who is the CÉCIE woman? Not in terms of age or where she lives, but how does she feel when she walks into a room wearing one of your pieces?

She feels confident, empowered, and seen.

One of the things I hear most from clients is how many compliments they receive when they wear one of my hats. They’re distinctive pieces, and there’s something powerful about a stranger stopping you to say, “I love your hat.” You feel seen. You feel beautiful. And when you feel beautiful, you carry yourself differently.

That’s how I feel when I put one on too. It’s almost like an actor stepping onto a stage—you put the hat on, you step into character, and you’re ready.

I want the CÉCIE woman to feel like the most confident, authentic, magnetic version of herself.

If you could sit down with the 16-year-old Cecie who was just beginning her entrepreneurial journey, what would you tell her today?

I would tell her that she is capable of far more than she realizes. That her ideas have value, her work is impactful, and she should trust the gifts she’s been given.

I’d tell her not to get distracted by what everyone else is doing. To listen to her dreams, follow her heart, and trust her intuition—even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.

Most of all, I’d tell her that she is more powerful than she knows. And once she learns to trust that power, she’s going to become unstoppable.

Thank you, Cecie, for sharing your story, your vision, and your journey with Palm Beach Beauty Media. It was a pleasure having you.

Fallow Cecie : @cecie.mestre