Many young and seasoned entrepreneurs alike want to make the Tampa Bay region the next great tech hub in the nation.
But Marcus Menniti has a different goal: making Tampa Bay the next fashion capital.
"I actually want to bring the real fashion to Tampa," he said. "It's not developed yet, but I don't see something as a negative; I see it as an opportunity. As it's growing and there are more events held, there is a huge opportunity."
He's off to a solid start. The recent University of Tampa graduate has launched his fashion brand, MENNITI, which showed at the prestigious Milan Fashion Week in February.
"It went well with the restrictions and stuff; it was a good move for us," he said. "Everyone was going digital and major brands weren’t having physical events, so we became the event of the fashion week."
The 24-year-old got his start in the industry modeling when he was 16, eventually sketching fashion designs during his undergraduate classes. Soon after, he made his way to UT to earn his master's in entrepreneurship while focusing on his business full time.
"It was a great fit, and I fell in love with the school and the city and thought, 'Let's move down here and see what happens,'" he said.
Beyond designing his clothing, he also has stepped into dressing other celebrities, including hockey players for the Vegas Golden Knights. But his main focus, he said, is launching the line with a specific target on the U.S. and Milan.
"We want to just focus on Milan if we’re not doing our own [fashion shows locally]," he said. "I am Italian, and the brand is Italian, so to start off in Milan and become consistent in Milan is important and made sense for me."
The company is currently bootstrapped, but Menniti plans to raise a pre-seed round of $150,000 soon.
"We’re gaining a lot of attention, and we have a lot in Italy, so we are looking to seek funding just to grow because we have a huge potential," he said.
Menniti plans to bring his own fashion show to the Tampa Bay region this fall but do so in a way that will make a splash not only for the brand but the local ecosystem at large.
"For me, it's important to do it in a way no one has done before — and not just in Tampa, but in the world," he said. "I want to bring attention to not only the brand but Tampa Bay and make the statement that Tampa Bay can be the new fashion capital in the U.S."
Menniti is one of Tampa Bay Inno's upcoming "25 Under 25" honorees. Nominate a 25-year-old or under making waves in the Tampa Bay region here.
