Tatyana Stewart took over T. Georgiano's as a junior in college after losing her father, choosing between finishing her degree and figuring out the family fashion business in real time. She chose the business, running early online clearance sales and trunk shows out of a First Street storefront in Sarasota before eventually building the shop into a fixture of the local fashion scene. Now, with guest host Cynthia McLaughlin filling in for Trey, Stewart previews True Blue Vibes, a luxury surf apparel brand a decade in the making, set to launch November 13th, her father's birthday.
The brand centers on a cast of original characters Stewart calls her Vibe Tribe, led by a surfer named Mac, designed in honor of her father, alongside three female archetypes and animal sidekicks including a tiger and a flamingo. Stewart says the idea grew out of wanting to give Sarasota's coastal identity something tangible to rally around, encapsulating what she calls living authentically. The launch will include a plush toy, a companion book compiled from years of journaling she originally shared online during the pandemic, and short films featuring local collaborators, some of whose footage was lost in recent hurricane flooding.
Stewart is candid about the setbacks that delayed the launch for years, calling the timing now, in the aftermath of back-to-back hurricanes hitting Sarasota, oddly perfect for a brand meant to lift the city's spirit. She sources materials globally, from battle-tested surf towels made with a friend in Ecuador to hand-loomed blankets from women in Bali, and insists every product reflects fair trade and ethical manufacturing rather than the mass-produced fashion she says dominates the industry. Beyond retail, Stewart discusses her philanthropic work, including toe fund fundraisers for the Sarasota Ballet and serving as creative director for a women's philanthropy initiative founded by two longtime community leaders.
On roundabouts, Stewart is fully on board, saying they keep traffic moving and, unlike traffic signals, still function when the power goes out, a point she and the hosts underscore after living through recent storm outages. Asked whether Midnight Pass should reopen, she says simply that some things are meant to be left the way nature intended, and that this is one of them.
What you'll take away
- True Blue Vibes, Tatyana Stewart's new surf apparel brand, launches November 13th, timed to her late father's birthday.
- The brand features a cast of original characters, including a surfer named Mac designed in her father's honor, meant to connect emotionally with both adults and kids.
- Stewart built T. Georgiano's from an online clearance operation and trunk shows into a First Street storefront after taking over the business in her early 20s.
- She sources True Blue Vibes materials globally, including surf towels tested in Ecuador and blankets hand-loomed by women in Bali.
- A companion book, compiled from years of personal journaling she shared online, launches alongside the brand's apparel and short films.
“True blue is amazing. I'm so excited about it. I honestly can't believe it.”
“It's an Aussie term for no BS. That's where live authentic is the slogan.”
Places mentioned: First Street, St. Armands Circle, downtown Sarasota, Midnight Pass