With a background in Visual Communications and Strategic Design, David De Lima has collaborated with The Row in New York, Tate Archive in London and co-founded the Resort Wear brand Sara Cristina alongside his sister. He is now on his way to launching a passion project symbolically called Stall 11 that connects his love for art, design, and sourcing.
Who is David De Lima? Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m an Artist with a background in Visual Communications and Strategic Design. I aim to express and experience my creativity freely and openly across different outlets, constantly in search of intention in everything I do while focusing on solutions to find harmony. My work reflects a blend of cultural influences and an ambiguity that I strive to embrace.
When did you start Sara Cristina?
We launched Sara Cristina about 10 years ago. My sister Sara was designing clothes for the beach. One day, I decided to build a website and put together a lookbook, which I sent to everyone I thought should know about us. That combination was the spark that turned our passion into a brand.
What exactly is your role at the brand?
I oversee the strategic vision and creative direction at Sara Cristina. While my sister is the driving force behind the collection’s design, I ensure our brand stays aligned with our overarching goals and values. From curating our image to developing products, I make sure the brand stays true to its core.
Let’s talk about The Row. What did you do at the brand?
At The Row, I worked closely with the Visual Identity director and later with the Marketing director. I supported the team in designing mood boards and inspiration decks for shop-in-shops and photoshoots, sourced art images for Instagram and social media, as well as furniture and objects for their flagship stores in New York and London. This experience gave me a deeper understanding of how fashion, design, and architecture intersect, shaping my approach to brand representation.A content creator also partners with brands for paid content which is very fun because I can be creative and style the pieces my way. I love creating content – it is something I have always loved doing even when I was younger and how my social media organically grew! I love connecting with people across my platform, traveling and curating interesting and organic content.
What inspires you aesthetically, and how does that translate into these different projects?
My aesthetic is rooted in ease, balance, and timelessness. I appreciate the past and draw inspiration from artists and designers like Cy Twombly, Jean Michel Frank, and Andy Warhol, as well as the 90s minimalism of Armani and the Japanese design ethos of Isamu Noguchi. New York also greatly inspires me. I am very emotional toward color; I see the use of black and white as a blank canvas, an opportunity to introduce color thoughtfully. While I use that as my base, I also strive to stay open and flexible, looking for that balance in how I translate it to different projects and adaptI only work with brands that I organically use and love. I value my content so it is so much more meaningful creating content when I love the brand/product.
What does stall 11 mean?
Stall 11 is inspired by the feeling of discovering a special stall at a flea market, where you stumble upon something unique. It’s a curated selection of finds from different periods and corners of the world, all under one roof. The name is a nod to the number 1111, which symbolizes synchronicity and the idea of being guided toward the right path.
What can we expect from Stall 11 and when is it launching?
I see it as a place where different ideas, inspirations, and disciplines come together—like a marketplace stall full of eclectic yet harmonious goods. I hope to evolve it into collaborations with artists and designers and explore different creative outlets. It is launching this fall.
What is the biggest lesson life has taught you so far?
Don’t give energy to negativity or what other people might think. Focus on creating.
