On weekends as a teenager, Meadow Propsom could often be found sifting through crowded clothing racks at thrift stores across South Florida.
From Goodwill to American Thrift and Red, White & Blue, the Aventura resident spent hours searching for secondhand treasures that reflected a style she couldn’t find anywhere else.
But what began as a hobby quickly became something deeper.
A way to express herself.
“I think fashion is the easiest way to show yourself and your personality to the world,” Propsom said. “I was able to show myself in a way I had never before.”
Today, the 20-year-old fashion business student at Laboratory Institute of Merchandising College, content creator and entrepreneur, has transformed that passion into Silvia Sol, her own clothing brand, which launched in April and has already reached customers in countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, Norway, Canada and Italy
While balancing college life in New York City, Propsom has also built a significant online presence, attracting 38,000 followers on Instagram and 230,000 on TikTok through her thrift hauls, styling videos and fashion-focused content, amassing over 18.4 million likes on TikTok alone.
Propsom’s journey from thrift shopper to business owner reflects a growing generation of young creators who are using social media, personal branding and entrepreneurship to build careers on their own terms.
Through years of developing her personal style, growing an online following and learning the business side of the industry, she turned a childhood interest in creativity into a clothing line rooted in individuality, sustainability and her Colombian heritage.
However, fashion was not always the plan.
Growing up in Aventura, Propsom dreamed of becoming an artist. She was drawn to anything that allowed her to express herself creatively, but never viewed fashion as a potential career path.
That changed during her time at Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School.
Around her sophomore year in 2022, Propsom began taking sewing classes at Design Lab Miami while also becoming increasingly interested in secondhand fashion. The combination helped her discover both her personal style and a new creative outlet.
“I kind of really wanted to distinguish myself in a way and be more true to myself,” she said.
She also began reselling clothing on Depop, giving her an early introduction to fashion entrepreneurship.
By the end of her sophomore year and into her junior year, Propsom started posting fashion content on TikTok and started a Fashion Club at her school. Hoping to connect with other fashion enthusiasts, she created a separate account and shared styling videos, thrift hauls and outfit inspiration several times a week.
At first, growth was slow. But after taking a friend’s advice to use trending audios and film videos against a recognizable light-green wall, her engagement began to climb.
Little by little, she found the online fashion community she had been searching for.
The growing platform led to collaborations with brands including Poshmark, Jaded London and H&M. More importantly, it taught her the marketing and business skills necessary to eventually launch her own company.
“If I’m doing this for other brands, why not do it for myself?” she said.
Even before social media, entrepreneurship had always been part of Propsom’s personality.
As a child, she sold Rainbow Loom bracelets to her peers. Years later, while attending college in New York and studying fashion business, she began seriously considering the possibility of launching a brand.
The idea finally became reality in February 2025.
While interning for World of My Own, Propsom found herself surrounded by design students and creative professionals. At the same time, a broken phone unexpectedly disconnected her from social media and daily distractions for nearly two weeks.
The break gave her time to think.
“It just gave me a sense of clarity,” she said. “One day I just decided, ‘Wait, I could really start doing this now.'”
That decision became Silvia Sol.
The brand’s name carries deep personal meaning. Silvia was her mother’s name. Propsom’s mother passed away from cancer when she was nine years old. Rather than naming the brand after a specific design inspiration, Propsom chose the name as a tribute to her mother’s legacy and Colombian roots.
Sol, the Spanish word for sun, references both her heritage and the sunny Miami lifestyle that influenced her upbringing.
“I wanted people to say her name more,” Propsom said. “It’s a way to honor her.”
The first Silvia Sol collection reflects many of the influences that shaped Propsom’s life. Miami’s earthy colors, beach culture, 1970s bohemian aesthetics and early 2000s silhouettes.
The collection features low-rise ruffled pants, a coordinating tank top, a miniskirt with built-in shorts, a linen-blend top and a matching hat all ranging from $40 to $150 USD.
Many design decisions were guided by practicality as much as style. For example, the skirt includes hidden shorts underneath to provide comfort and coverage, while some garment patterns were specifically designed to reduce fabric waste.
Manufacturing was another carefully considered choice.
Rather than working with large overseas factories, Propsom partnered with a small family-owned manufacturer in Colombia. Some pieces are handmade and require extensive labor, with certain garments taking nearly an entire day to complete.
“It was important to me to know where my clothes are coming from,” she said.
Yet, according to Noa Levy, Propsoms’ best friend, creative collaborator and assistant, the ultimate goal of Silvia Sol is to bring out the best in women.
“I think it’s important for women to know that she is actively trying to uplift other women by making them feel most confident in their own skin,” Levy said. “Without trying to change anything, just simply by wearing her garment.”
Launching the business came with challenges.
Between managing college classes, creating content, working another job and running a brand, Propsom said maintaining balance has been one of the most difficult parts of entrepreneurship.
Still, the hard work has already produced encouraging results. Since launching on April 25, Silvia Sol has attracted customers from various countries.
For Propsom, however, success is not measured solely by sales.
She hopes to create timeless pieces that people will keep in their closets for years rather than chase short-lived trends.
As she continues building Silvia Sol, the same curiosity that once led her through thrift store aisles in Miami continues to guide her vision.
Only now, instead of searching racks for pieces that tell her story, she’s creating them herself.
