In the Spotlight: Edisa Shahini, Co-Founder of Maison Rivée, Content Creatorin and Entrepreneur
Edisa Shahini moved to Vienna more than 20 years ago, where her love of fashion, craftsmanship and distinctive finds continued to grow. Influenced by her artistic mother and the hours they spent with silk and embroidery, she pays particular attention to materials, colours and details. She has worked as a content creator for many years, bringing together fashion, photography and styling. Together with Maria Ratzinger, she founded Maison Rivée, introducing a new audience to carefully curated vintage fashion and designer pieces. Her aim is to inspire women to discover their own style and wear special pieces with confidence.
You moved to Vienna more than 20 years ago. What did the city feel like when you first arrived, and how has your relationship with it changed since?
When I arrived in Vienna in 2003, everything felt incredibly elegant, like music to my soul. I was fascinated by the architecture, the beautiful old buildings, the coffeehouse culture, and how much history was woven into everyday life. Coming from a different cultural background, Vienna seemed very traditional and, in some ways, quite reserved.
I actually adapted to the city very quickly. I spent a lot of time walking, exploring little streets, discovering Vienna’s history and getting to know its different neighborhoods. I was curious about absolutely everything. And somehow, I soon felt that I belonged in Vienna.
Looking back, I feel that Vienna and I have grown together. The city has changed, and so have I. I built a life here, found my professional path, met wonderful people, and experienced many different chapters.
Today, I appreciate the quality of life, the cultural richness and the little everyday rituals even more. I love traveling and discovering new places, but there is always something special about coming back to Vienna.
How much does your heritage still shape your understanding of beauty, craftsmanship and luxury?
Probably more than I even realise!
My mother is a very artistic person, and embroidery was one of her passions. I grew up watching her create the most beautiful things with silk threads. I was fascinated by how something so delicate could become a little work of art through patience and imagination. She taught me so much about fabrics, colours, patterns and craftsmanship without ever making it feel like a lesson.
Our home was also full of fashion magazines. Harper’s Bazaar, Italian fashion magazines, Burda… I loved looking through them, studying the clothes and discovering completely different worlds on their pages.
I think that’s where my love of fashion and beautiful things began. Long before I knew anything about designer labels or luxury brands, I was already interested in materials, silhouettes and details.
That has stayed with me. I can spend ages looking at the construction of a vintage jacket or feeling the texture of a fabric. It’s something very instinctive.
Living in Vienna and travelling have naturally influenced my taste. But I think that little girl who watched her mother embroider with silk threads is still very much part of how I see beauty today.
“No one should feel they have to become a vintage collector to enjoy Maison Rivée. You can simply love fashion, have a modern wardrobe and discover one special piece that makes everything a little more interesting.”
What made you want to build Maison Rivée, and why did it feel like the right time?
I spent many years working in fashion, beauty, luxury and digital content creation. I worked with wonderful brands, attended fashion events, discovered extraordinary places and had the opportunity to tell many different stories.
At some point, though, I started to feel that I wanted to create something of my own. Something where I wasn’t just telling another brand’s story, but building one myself.
I’ve always loved vintage. There’s something exciting about finding a beautiful piece you don’t see everywhere. I realised that everything I’d learned over the years could come together in one project: from styling and photography to working with brands and understanding what resonates with people.
When Maria and I began talking about Maison Rivée, it felt like a very natural next step. I was also drawn to the challenge. Creating content for an established brand is one thing. Building your own business from scratch is a completely different adventure. And I was ready for it.
Photo: Ines Cela
Vienna already has several elegant and sophisticated vintage and secondhand concepts. What did you feel was missing?
I think Vienna has some wonderful vintage shops, and I’m happy to see more people becoming interested in pre-owned fashion.
Personally, I wanted to make vintage more accessible to women who love contemporary fashion and perhaps haven’t explored pre-owned luxury yet. Sometimes people see a vintage handbag and think it’s beautiful, but they’re not quite sure how to wear it or whether it fits their personal style.
That’s where I think I bring something different. I immediately start imagining outfits. I want to show that a beautiful vintage Chanel bag can look just as amazing with jeans and a white T-shirt as it does with an elegant evening dress.
No one should feel they have to become a vintage collector to enjoy Maison Rivée. You can simply love fashion, have a modern wardrobe and discover one special piece that makes everything a little more interesting.
What do you find particularly interesting about the Austrian luxury and fashion market?
I’m fascinated by how much people in Austria value quality, and by how differently they express luxury compared with people in some other countries.
Through my work as a content creator, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate with international luxury brands and experience different approaches to fashion and lifestyle.
In Austria, luxury often feels quite understated. People appreciate excellent craftsmanship and beautiful things, but they don’t necessarily want to draw attention to themselves.
I find that interesting because my own approach to fashion is perhaps a little more expressive. I love beautiful classics, but I also love statement pieces.
I think there’s room for both. Perhaps that’s what makes the Austrian market so exciting to me: there’s already a strong appreciation for quality, but also an opportunity to introduce people to new ways of styling and enjoying fashion.
Viennese style is often associated with restraint rather than fashion experimentation. Do you think people here are too cautious about what they wear?
Sometimes, yes!
Don’t get me wrong: I love Viennese elegance. There’s something beautiful about a perfectly tailored coat, lovely shoes and a timeless handbag.
But sometimes I wish people would have a little more fun with fashion.
One of my favorite things about traveling is people-watching. I can sit in a café in Milan or Paris for hours, watching what people wear. I love unexpected combinations, unusual accessories and women who seem to have dressed simply for themselves.
I think we sometimes worry too much about whether everything matches or whether an outfit is appropriate.
I love it when someone wears something unexpected. It doesn’t have to be loud or extravagant. Sometimes a colorful vintage bag or an unusual jacket is enough.
After all, fashion doesn’t always have to be taken so seriously.
Can fashion, and vintage in particular, encourage people to be more adventurous and develop a stronger sense of personal style?
Definitely! I think vintage gives you the freedom to be more creative.
In contemporary fashion, we’re constantly shown what’s in style right now. Especially on social media, you see the same bags, colours and silhouettes everywhere.
Vintage takes you out of that cycle.
Suddenly, you discover something from the 1980s or 1990s and realise how well it goes with what you’re wearing today.
I also love that vintage pieces often spark conversations. Someone might ask where your bag is from, and instead of simply naming a current collection, you can tell them about a special find.
I think that’s much more interesting. Ultimately, personal style should be about discovering what makes you happy, not just following the latest trend.
What makes you choose one vintage piece over another? Craftsmanship, provenance, rarity or simply instinct?
Instinct. Almost always!
I usually know very quickly whether a piece speaks to me. It might be the color, the shape, the texture or even a tiny detail someone else might not notice.
Of course, when we select pieces for Maison Rivée, we have to be much more analytical and assess their condition, quality and authenticity.
But my first reaction is often emotional.
Then my imagination takes over. I immediately start thinking about how I’d style it, what I’d wear with it, and how many different looks I could create.
I think I’ve developed that instinct through many years of working in photography, styling and content creation. I’m very visual, and I usually see the possibilities in a piece straight away.
Sometimes Maria and I look at the same item from completely different perspectives. That makes the selection process interesting.
The word “luxury” has changed considerably over the past decade. What does luxury mean to you now?
I still love beautiful things, and I’m not going to pretend otherwise!
I love fashion, beautiful hotels, thoughtful interiors and all the little details that make an experience special.
But as I’ve grown older, I’ve realized that some of my favorite luxuries are things you can’t buy.
A slow morning with good coffee, waking up somewhere beautiful, having time to take photographs, or spending an afternoon with someone I love without constantly checking the time.
My work has influenced that perspective, too. When you’re constantly surrounded by beautiful products and experiences, you eventually learn to distinguish between what looks luxurious and what actually feels luxurious to you.
For me, that often comes down to time, freedom and the ability to enjoy things without rushing.
We’re surrounded by more fashion than ever, yet there’s also a growing desire to consume less. How do you reconcile those two impulses?
It isn’t always easy, especially when your job involves discovering new collections and working with fashion and beauty brands.
I love fashion, and I genuinely get excited about beautiful new pieces. But I’ve also learned that I don’t need to own everything I admire.
Sometimes I can appreciate a collection, photograph it and talk about it without bringing anything home.
I think that’s an important distinction.
I certainly don’t have a perfectly minimalist wardrobe, and I don’t want to pretend I do. I love experimenting with clothes, and I enjoy having options.
But I’m more thoughtful about what I buy. I try to choose pieces I can style in different ways, and I often rediscover things I already own.
Fashion can still be fun without every moment of inspiration turning into a purchase.
Can pre-owned luxury genuinely change the way people consume fashion, or will it always remain a niche alongside traditional retail?
I think one of the biggest changes is already happening in how people perceive secondhand fashion.
When I was younger, buying luxury often meant going into a beautiful boutique and choosing something new. Today, discovering a rare vintage piece can be just as exciting, sometimes even more so.
And I love that younger generations are increasingly comfortable mixing pre-owned pieces with new fashion.
I don’t think everyone will stop buying new things, and I don’t think they need to.
But I would love pre-owned luxury to become a completely natural part of the way people shop.
Imagine looking for a beautiful handbag and considering vintage pieces and current collections equally, without thinking of one as a compromise.
To me, that would already be a meaningful change.
Maison Rivée isn’t meant to feel like a conventional secondhand store. What would you like someone to feel when they first encounter the brand?
I’d love someone to discover Maison Rivée and immediately think, “Oh, I love that! I could totally wear it!”
It’s really that simple.
I want people to feel excited about the pieces, start imagining outfits, and perhaps even discover something they wouldn’t normally choose.
Because I come from a visual background, I think a lot about how people experience fashion through images.
Photography, styling, and little details matter enormously to me. When you browse Maison Rivée, I want you to feel inspired in the same way I do when I discover a beautiful boutique while traveling.
And I want the experience to feel welcoming. You don’t have to know everything about fashion history or designer collections to appreciate a beautiful piece.
Sometimes you simply fall in love with something. And that’s enough.
How important is the idea of self-expression to Maison Rivée, especially in a city where fashion can sometimes be rather understated?
For me, personal style has always been a form of self-expression.
I’ve worked in the digital world for many years. One thing I’ve noticed is how easily we can start dressing for other people’s expectations, especially on social media.
You see something that’s trending, everyone starts wearing it, and suddenly it feels as though there’s only one right way to style an outfit.
To be honest, I find that a little boring.
What I love about vintage is the freedom it gives you to create your own combinations.
I’d love Maison Rivée to encourage women to trust their own taste a little more.
If you love something, wear it. Even if it isn’t trending, even if your friends wouldn’t choose it, and even if it’s a little different from what people usually wear in Vienna.
You’re building Maison Rivée together with Maria Ratzinger. What does each of you bring to the company that the other doesn’t?
Maria and I complement each other because we often approach the same idea from different perspectives.
Maria has a strong journalistic and editorial background. She’s very good at developing concepts, putting ideas into words and seeing the bigger picture.
I approach things in a much more visual and intuitive way. After many years of blogging, photography, styling and working with international brands, I often start by imagining how something could look and feel.
Show me a beautiful vintage jacket, and I’m probably already putting together three outfits in my mind and thinking about where we could photograph it!
I also bring my experience of connecting with people through social media and understanding what makes someone stop scrolling and genuinely become interested in something.
We don’t always think alike, and I think that’s healthy. It allows us to challenge ideas and look at things from different angles.
And we definitely have one thing in common: we’re both passionate about beautiful fashion.
What have you learned about Austrian consumers since starting Maison Rivée that surprised you?
One thing I find interesting is how much reassurance people sometimes need before buying pre-owned luxury.
Because I’ve loved vintage for so many years, I sometimes forget that it isn’t familiar to everyone.
Questions about condition, authenticity, materials and how a piece has aged are completely understandable.
It has made me think more carefully about how we present our pieces and explain what makes them special.
I also think people sometimes underestimate how wearable vintage fashion can be. A piece might look quite unusual on its own, but when you style it with contemporary clothes, it suddenly feels completely different.
I find it especially rewarding when someone suddenly sees a vintage piece in a new light.
If Maison Rivée could change one thing about the way people think about fashion and consumption, what would you want it to be?
I’d love people to be a little more curious and less afraid to experiment.
Not every beautiful fashion discovery has to come from the latest collection, and not every purchase has to follow a trend.
Sometimes the most interesting piece in your wardrobe is the one you found unexpectedly.
I’d also love people to feel more confident about combining what they already own with something different.
You don’t need a completely new wardrobe every season to feel stylish.
And if Maison Rivée inspires someone to look at an older piece and see something exciting rather than outdated, I’d be very happy.
Where do you see Maison Rivée in ten years? Could it become an example of a new kind of retail and a different way of consuming luxury?
First of all, I hope we’re still having as much fun discovering beautiful pieces as we are now!
Of course, I’d love Maison Rivée to grow and reach customers far beyond Vienna. Having worked internationally for many years and connected with people through digital platforms, I see wonderful opportunities to build a community across different cities and countries.
But what excites me most is imagining how the shopping experience itself could evolve.
I love the personal side of fashion: meeting people, helping them discover special pieces and showing them different ways to style something.
I can imagine creating special shopping experiences, carefully curated collections and collaborations that bring Maison Rivée closer to the women who love the brand.
I don’t want us to lose that personal feeling as we grow.
And if, ten years from now, someone tells me that Maison Rivée helped her discover vintage fashion, feel more confident in her style or fall in love with a piece she’ll keep forever, I think that would be a wonderful achievement.
Cover photo: Ines Cela