Dria Murphy has a certain carefree je ne sais quoi about her, while being a multi-faceted, kick ass entrepreneur. At Golden Edit, we fully aspire to the lifestyle Dria has created for herself. Think sunshine all year round and a healthy dose of wellness while running her successful public relations and creative branding agency, Alise Collective. Originally from San Francisco, Dria has not only hustled hard to create the lifestyle she desired, but continues to make a constant choice to find balance. By now you’ve likely caught on. It took hard work, and lots of it, to get to where she is. So lean in, we can all learn something from Dria and her path to freedom.
Cue in Montauk, one of her favorite spots to escape to in the summer (which also happens to be the place that prompted her to go out on her own and start her business). Dubbed the ‘end of the world’ by local residents as it is one of the last towns that make up “the Hamptons” as you travel east from New York City, Montauk was once considered the hippie, less expensive alternative to the Hamptons. But in recent years, the town has become a hot place to escape to thanks to its gorgeous beaches, new restaurants, wellness scene, and Tulum-like shabby chic charm.
This is Dria’s perfectly curated weekend to the end of the world...
First off, we're huge fans! You're a true self-starter and hustler. As a West Coast girl, what was it like for you to pack up your life and move to NYC?
I was determined to move back to New York after a great summer internship, so I was mentally preparing for the move for a whole year. It was a challenging leap because I moved without a job, only a handful of friends, and no family in NYC. My whole family is on the West Coast. But, it was a super exciting time and I was ready to start my next phase in life.
You started your career with an internship at Giorgio Armani, followed by Bottega Veneta – no easy feat! How did you land these?
When I was studying abroad in Florence during college, I took a weekend trip to Milan during Milan Fashion Week. I was fortunate enough to attend the Giorgio Armani fashion show where I got to meet a member of the US team. I was able to later reach out to that person to apply for an internship. Over my university’s spring break, I came to New York to interview at Giorgio Armani, Bottega Veneta, Carolina Herrera and a few PR agencies, and had my choice between them. I made sure to go into the interview fully prepared with brand research, knowledge of the inner workings of each departments, and really tried to express how excited I was about the opportunity. It worked!
What came next?
After my summer internship, I finished my last year of college. While home for the summer in San Francisco, I began the process of applying for jobs. I was getting tons of interview requests, but they were all from companies based in New York. I decided to make the move and officially jump coasts. I got a freelance fashion position at Paul Wilmot Communications the day I landed. From there, I went on to work in-house at Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren and Top Shop, then took a Director of Communications role at a fashion and technology start-up called Keep, and finally launched my own business.
You launched Alise Collective, a creative brand building company, in 2015. When did you start thinking about having your own business and what was the process like from ‘idea’ to doing it?
Starting my own business came pretty naturally and happened organically. I worked on the launch of Google Play music at The Surf Lodge that summer, and met my future mentor Hilary Neve, the Head of Communications at Google. She had numerous, upcoming projects and invited me in to consult. I was out east consulting for The Surf Lodge and was meeting tons of new people that all needed help building their brand exposure. Today, Alise Collective represents a variety of clients in the fashion, wellness and lifestyle space.
Here at Golden Edit we’re all about curation. Is there a trick to ‘curating’ the clients and brands you work with?
There isn’t an easy trick to curating. It’s about feeling passionate about a brand and its products in various ways. All of my clients have come through a referral, whether through a friend or friend of a friend. This practice has built a certain aesthetic, and allowed Alise Collective to be known for representing cool wellness and lifestyle brands.
What’s always in your suitcase, no matter where you're going?
Caudalie Elixir Spray, Well Told Health Turmeric Booster, La Prairie Skin Caviar Essence-In-Foundation, Pai Echium & Argan Eye Cream, Tata Harper Resurfacing Mask, and my Air Pods.
You spend a lot of time out East in the summer – what does a curated weekend in The Hamptons look like?
An ideal weekend in the Hamptons starts with a dinner at Crow’s Nest on Friday, followed by a Saturday morning workout. For the second summer in a row, Alise Collective has partnered The Bari Studio with The Surf Lodge to bring an amazing signature sculpt class to their outdoor deck every Saturday morning. I love to spend the rest of the afternoon at Ditch Plains laying in the sun and catching up with friends. The perfect day ends with a sunset concert at The Surf Lodge.
Crow's Nest for dinner
Work out by The Bari Studio at The Surf Lodge
Tofu scramble from Naturally Good with the berry hydrating smoothie
Stae Beauty Shop at The Surf Lodge for my Well Told Energy Boosters to get me through the weekend
Lobster cobb salad at Duryea's Lobster Deck for lunch
The Interior in East Hampton for home goods
Dria wears the INTERTWINE MIDI DRESS and CUZCO STRAW HAT
