About

Ciao, I’m Maria!

Founder of The Aperitivo Society & Aperitivo The Shop

Writing about yourself is strange. It’s like being asked for a fun fact on the first day of school — you know you have one, but suddenly everything disappears.

So here’s what matters.

I’m a Gemini sun, Aquarius rising, Capricorn moon — curious, strategic, and always thinking three steps ahead. I love beautiful things, a good time, and gathering people around a table.

I started The Aperitivo Society after moving to Boston, craving community. What began as dinners and conversations grew into a lifestyle brand — parties, creative collaborations, and a physical shop.

Let’s talk details —

I studied Retailing & Fashion Merchandising at The University of South Carolina, then moved to New York City to begin my career. I worked in visual merchandising at Nordstrom, later in wholesale strategy for women’s ready-to-wear brands at a boutique showroom. During the pandemic, I transitioned into the home industry. In March 2025, I left corporate merchandising to run my business full-time.

Retail taught me how people move through a space.
Merchandising taught me how to guide them.
Wholesale taught me how to scale.
Owning my own store taught me everything else.

Over the last decade, I’ve built experience across product development, branding, e-commerce, merchandising, and community-building — first behind the scenes, now at the helm.

Today, I help creative business owners turn ideas into environments, websites into storefronts, and brands into something people want to be part of.

I host. I curate. I connect. I create. And I want to help you do the same.