# Karla Gallardo

> Karla Gallardo is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cuyana, a San Francisco-based sustainable fashion brand built on the philosophy of 'fewer, better things.' Born in Ecuador and educated at Brown University and Stanford GSB, she co-founded Cuyana in 2011 with Shilpa Shah to create timeless, high-quality women's essentials through ethical, transparent supply chains. Under her leadership, Cuyana has grown to 160+ employees, raised $44.8M in funding (including a $30M Series C), and built a loyal customer base that includes Meghan Markle and Jessica Alba. The company achieves a remarkable 90% full-price sell-through rate — rare in fashion — and has been recognized for pioneering sustainable luxury retail in the U.S.

- **Role:** Co-Founder and CEO at Cuyana
- **Organizations:** Cuyana
- **From:** Ecuador
- **Nationality:** Ecuadorian-American
- **Education:** Bachelor's, Applied Mathematics, Brown University, Master of Business Administration (MBA), Stanford Graduate School of Business
- **Known for:** Co-founded Cuyana in 2011, growing it into a $35M+ annual revenue sustainable fashion brand, Raised $44.8M in total funding, including $30M Series C from H.I.G. Growth Partners, Achieved 90% full-price sell-through rate — an industry benchmark almost unheard of in fashion

## Career timeline

- **Ecuador, early life** — Grew up in Ecuador; parents emphasized education and quality over quantity, instilling lifelong values around intentional consumption
- **c. 2001** — Immigrated to the U.S. at age 18 to attend Brown University, studying applied mathematics
- **c. 2005-2007** — Worked in Goldman Sachs Investment Banking Group
- **c. 2007-2009** — Worked at Apple before pursuing graduate studies
- **c. 2009-2011** — Attended Stanford Graduate School of Business; met co-founder Shilpa Shah during this period
- **2011** — Co-founded Cuyana with Shilpa Shah, launching as a direct-to-consumer sustainable women's fashion brand
- **2019** — Cuyana closes $30M Series C round led by H.I.G. Growth Partners to fuel U.S. and international expansion
- **2024** — Opened Cuyana's Malibu store (December 2024), 6th U.S. location and 4th in California
- **2025** — Featured at World Retail Congress 2025; Cuyana's Daydream fashion search tool named a Time Best Invention of 2025; initiated Latin American market entry

## Achievements

- Co-founded Cuyana in 2011, growing it into a $35M+ annual revenue sustainable fashion brand
- Raised $44.8M in total funding, including $30M Series C from H.I.G. Growth Partners
- Achieved 90% full-price sell-through rate — an industry benchmark almost unheard of in fashion
- Named one of Entrepreneur magazine's 100 Most Powerful Women
- Cuyana's Daydream tool recognized in Time's Best Inventions of 2025
- Built a 160+ employee company where 85% of staff are women
- Opened 6 U.S. retail stores while maintaining brand profitability
- Established ethical supply chains across Argentina, Italy, Scotland, Peru, and Ecuador
- Cultivated celebrity brand ambassadors including Meghan Markle, Jessica Alba, and Reese Witherspoon (unpaid)

## Latest updates

- **2025-05** — Featured speaker at World Retail Congress 2025, discussing Cuyana's international expansion and sustainable retail strategy
- **2025-01** — Cuyana's Daydream fashion search tool recognized in Time's Best Inventions of 2025
- **2025-01** — Cuyana targeting international revenue to be 20-25% of total sales by end-2025; London and Paris stores in pipeline by end-2026
- **2024-12** — Cuyana opened its Malibu store — the 4th California location and 6th U.S. retail store
- **2024-06** — Karla championed public campaign to rename 'Panama hats' as 'Ecuador hats,' gaining NBC Bay Area coverage

## Links

- Website: https://cuyana.com
- LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-gallardo-6076a51a
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kggallardo/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cuyana.sf

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/karla-gallardo
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-05-26