In this bi-weekly series, I ask female executives, founders, CEOs - basically boss ladies - about their "power suits" - the clothes they wear every day to be ready for any job.

I'm a people-watcher, and every time I commute by train from Brooklyn to Manhattan, I look over what everyone is wearing. I could easily spot Kuyana's iconic structured tote (opens in new tab) on the shoulder of a fellow commuter. The supple leather, sophisticated style, and microsuede interior were the deciding factors. While the Kuyana has become synonymous with timeless totes, it is actually not the brand's first accessory. When we spoke to co-founder and CEO Carla Gallardo, she told us that she initially launched the brand with a Panama hat. '[The] ultimate vision was to build a core wardrobe consisting of women's essentials, but I launched with six straw hats,' she says. 'Why, because I'm from Ecuador and I was doing it alone. The second collection is an alpaca collection from Peru, Ecuador's neighbor. For the Third Collection, Shilpa (Shah, co-founder of Cuyana) joined me and we expanded our network through Argentina.

In the beginning of 2013, Gallardo recalls traveling with Shah for a week or two to different countries to network with factories. "We didn't have any money at the time, so we slept on couches, on the floor, knocked on doors, and begged people to work with us," she says. It wasn't easy," she says. Gallardo knew that the real opportunity lay in leather goods. Consumers could not find quality leather goods in the price range that Cuyana was offering (under $200 for most leather tote bags and under $100 for some smaller leather goods), because they could not find quality leather goods.

Since its launch, the label has grown from selling hats and handbags to clothing items like silky crop T-shirts and French terry pants, fulfilling Gallardo's vision of offering women a seasonless wardrobe with just what they need.

Indeed, the brand's philosophy is less is more. Gallardo said that Cuyana items are meant to last, and that the brand name itself means "love." She says, "Whenever I see customers wearing our products and loving what they buy, I know we are accomplishing our mission and truly changing the way women shop."

The busy entrepreneur shares how she prepares herself before work and what she wears when telecommuting during a pandemic. Of course, her versatile ensembles include her beloved Kuyana separates.

"I gave birth to my second son earlier this year, just before the shelter was built. When my first son was born, my morning routine was chaotic. With my second son, he slept through the night much earlier, so I was able to have a routine. We would get up at 6 or 6:30 and I would go straight to giving him his latest milk. My husband would get up and give our oldest son a snack. Breakfast is an important time for us so that I can reassure my oldest son until I am done taking care of him. In the meantime, I drink coffee and take phone calls.

At 8:00 we all sit down for breakfast, an important ritual in our home. I grew up in an Ecuadorian family, and it is an important custom to return home for dinner, enjoy the meal with the family, and share the day's events. Since dinner is a little early (for the kids), that is now breakfast. I used to be physically active, but with COVID-19 and two kids, it has become more difficult. My husband sometimes gets up at 5 am to work out, but I still can't. "

"I work from home and have kids, so it's hard not to wear more than one outfit a day. I used to, but it was easier to get dressed for work and then change into loungewear when I got home and be with my kids. (Now) it's hard to get dressed. It used to be a fun time when I was dressed for work, but now I have that plus taking care of the kids, so it's a short-term outfit where you never know what's going to happen."

"French terry pimas are comfortable, but I feel like I'm dressing up for work. I want to be able to nurse (whatever I'm wearing), change, and run around. I need to do something and I need to do it fast.

We are lucky enough to spend our summers in wine country and have a pool. At 7 p.m., at the end of the work day, we all go outside and jump in the pool. I like to wear elaborate swimsuits, and sometimes I'll wear a really nice top, like a one-shoulder, or a nice design. I'll wear that with bottoms to a meeting and no one will know it's a bathing suit, and then after the meeting I'll take off my bottoms and jump outside with everyone else and jump in the pool. As for jewelry, I always wear the bare minimum. I don't even have statement earrings for evening wear. I don't change my jewelry much, but I change it up with tops," she said. [Tailored, silk blouses, beautiful dresses.

"Less is more. That is my personal mantra and my business mantra. It is to reduce clutter and surround ourselves with meaningful things and people. We have dear friends and see them often. Our immediate family is also small, so we keep in touch and talk every day. Doing better with a smaller group of people is a big part of my life."