Founder Q&A
About PiccoliNY
What sparked your idea to start PiccoliNY?
PiccoliNY began on Mulberry Street in Nolita with one design: a hot dog and pretzel combo printed on baby onesies. The idea came from my daily commute to Bloomingdale’s SoHo, when the smell of hot dogs and pretzels hit me the moment I stepped off the R train at Prince and Broadway. It was comforting, and I wanted to capture that feeling of New York in something playful and meaningful.
I printed those first onesies in a tiny East Village shop and launched them at the Feast of San Gennaro, one of New York’s most popular street festivals celebrating Italian and Neapolitan culture with the most delicious food (think cannoli and more). With a little help from friends at Rubirosa, the onesies sold out almost instantly. That was my lightbulb moment: people weren’t looking for another generic souvenir tee. They wanted gifts with soul, pieces that carried a story. From that day, I knew PiccoliNY was something special.
“Most of us don’t want another souvenir tee at the bottom of the drawer. We want gifts with soul.”
Since starting PiccoliNY, what’s been the biggest surprise or lesson learned?
I’ve learned how much people connect to the little things. A teether shaped like a bagel or a pizza slice can spark joy because it taps into memory. I also discovered that in kids’ and women’s retail, basics often sit while the fun, giftable pieces are the ones people reach for. That insight shaped PiccoliNY into what it is today.
This is a New York brand, but it resonates universally. We have customers from all over who’ve never been to the city but feel a connection to our designs. It still amazes me and proves that small pieces of New York carry stories that travel far beyond the city.
“A bagel teether can mean as much as a plane ticket — it’s memory in miniature.”
Is there a milestone you’re especially proud of?
Two years after starting, I expanded into wholesale, cold-calling accounts like the Empire State Building. Our first big collaboration was a King Kong design for them. From those early days to being carried at MoMA Design Store, Saks, Merci Paris, and soon Nordstrom, every milestone has felt surreal.
When people bring PiccoliNY into their homes, how do you hope it makes them feel?
I hope it brings joy and nostalgia. I want PiccoliNY to be the gift people love to give and receive, something personal that tells a story.
“Every piece is designed to carry joy, memory, and a little New York magic.”
What’s one lesson from motherhood that you carry into your work?
Patience and flexibility. PiccoliNY is fun, and my family influences everything about the brand. Having kids reminds me to laugh when things don’t go as planned (which, as an entrepreneur, happens often) and to look at the world with curiosity.
The biggest lesson has been to take the vacation. I step back, even briefly, to focus on my family. My kids are only this little once, and those moments matter more than anything else.
“Take the vacation. My kids are only this little once.”
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What’s your favorite New York activity to do with your kids?
We love wandering the city together, snack in hand. Weekends often look like a mix of neighborhood adventures and special outings: a slice from Manero’s on Mulberry, boba or ice cream from Icy Melon, and cheese shopping at Di Palo’s. Our family obsession is Stanley’s claw machine in Chinatown, where my kids always walk out winners.
Our favorite park is West Thames in Battery Park City, where we meet school friends for climbing and playing in the sprinklers. On special occasions, you’ll find us at Madison Square Garden, Radio City, or the Beacon. With my oldest, I’ve started doing “just us” adventures. This month, we’re going to a Benson Boone concert, and I might be more excited than he is.
Do you have a go-to neighborhood spot that always makes you happy?
Di Palo’s for cheese shopping. It’s a New York institution that feels like family when you walk in.
What’s the most “New York” thing about you?
I’m a native New Yorker, and I married one too. We’re both creative and curious, shaped by the energy of this city. Our families are so New York that my grandfather made the wedding cake for my mother and father-in-law. Deep roots that crossed, very New York
What’s something people are always surprised to learn about you?
PiccoliNY began with a single design sold at a festival. People are surprised that a humble table at a street fair has grown into a brand now carried in stores around the world. Doesn’t get more New York than that.
