Alissa Schiraldi

Highlights 

• Agolde
• Farm Rio
• Simon Miller 
• Faithfull The Brand

Drawing from her extensive background working with fashion brands from around the world for more than a decade, Alissa Schiraldi brings a global perspective back home to her local roots with Strand Section—a Manhattan Beach boutique she opened in 2024. Beginning her career as a television producer, she also negotiated brand deals for A-list celebrities.  Inspired by these deals, she pursued her dream of helping launch prominent fashion brands. All of these experiences are represented in Alissa’s vision for Strand Section.

Tell us about Strand Section.

Strand Section captures a distinct aesthetic that is both beach chic and effortlessly modern, infused with vibrant energy and a selection of acclaimed brands. The boutique seeks to personalize and help redefine the retail experience through an ever-evolving curation of styles for the modern woman, coupled with excellent customer service that is always welcoming and attentive.  

Is there someone who has inspired you in your career?

My mother has always been an inspiration throughout my life. She was passionate about building her own career and instilled in me from a young age that anything is achievable with hard work, grace and determination. She was a trailblazer for women in entertainment, working at CBS Television City on some all-time classic shows, including The Price Is Right and The Young and the Restless. After her time in television and raising my sister and me, she devoted herself to supporting students at Mira Costa High School, guiding them through the college process in the College and Career Center. She was also passionate about supporting female colleagues. She’s truly a powerhouse—brilliant, resilient and kind—everything you would hope for in a role model!

Why is supporting other women in business so important to you?

I have been very fortunate throughout my career to learn from very talented and successful women—from those shaping popular culture to the founders of global apparel brands. Two years ago I started my journey as an entrepreneur by launching my own clothing line, also named Strand Section (one of the many brands in our boutique). From the very beginning, I made it a core principle of the brand to work with local female-owned businesses. As such, our apparel is made here in Los Angeles, and I’ve partnered with amazing women when it comes to sourcing material, apparel production, and even working with local female artists on our designs and embroidery.   When I decided to open the boutique, I wanted to continue to honor the principles of the brand and made it a point to staff all areas of the business with a female team—from the sales floor to inventory management to marketing. It’s very gratifying to have young high school and college women on our team whom our amazing senior staff and I can mentor along the way, guiding the next generation of female leaders.

Who has been there to support you as an entrepreneur?

My family and friends have been my biggest support system in opening Strand Section. We couldn’t have accomplished as much as we have without their encouragement and enthusiasm, which I draw so much inspiration from. Those close to me didn’t hesitate to help—including cleaning, picking out wallpaper, painting and everything it took to transform the space into a timelessly vibrant beach boutique.

Tell us about your team.

When hiring my staff, one of my main goals was to build a team that shares my passion and genuinely loves retail. Coming from a large Italian family where family is everything, I wanted to bring the same spirit to the business. I hope that when you walk into Strand Section, you feel the warmth of our team and know you’re not just a customer—you’re family.

What inspires you about the Manhattan Beach community?

I love that our community comes together in tough times. This past year our business organized an in-store clothing and food drive for families impacted by the Palisades and Eaton fires. It was meaningful to not only provide affected customers with essentials they needed but also to show these families that they have a large community of support standing behind them.

Photographed by Fabien & Laura Castro