Cynthia Sakai

Cynthia K. Sakai
Cynthia K. Sakai in Southern California
OccupationEntrepreneur
Labelevolvetogether
AwardsMember of the Council of Fashion Designers of America

Cynthia K. Sakai (born March 13, 1982) is a Japanese-American entrepreneur and designer best known as the founder of evolvetogether, a personal care brand.[1]

Early life

Sakai was born and raised in Southern California. Her mother worked in the luxury fashion industry, and her father was an architect.[1]

Career

Sakai launched her first accessories line, Girlboy by Koco, at the age of 18.[2]

At the age of 21, she started a multiline showroom in Los Angeles[3] and worked as an actress.[4]

Vita Fede

After she received a handcrafted bracelet from Florence, she traveled to Italy to find and meet the local artisan. She was inspired and founded Vita Fede in 2009.[1] The brand's products were made in Italy and distributed throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Canada and the Middle East.[5][6][7] The jewelry line was presented in major retailers including Bergdorf Goodman and Neiman Marcus.[8] In 2014, Sakai became a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.[9]

evolvetogether

In 2020, Sakai founded evolvetogether in response to the COVID‑19 pandemic, initially producing medical‑grade face masks stamped with global coordinates. The brand launched with medical-grade face masks, a daily essential most needed at the time, and each mask was stamped with global coordinates as a reminder that we're all connected, no matter our gender, race, or where we live. The evolvetogether masks were worn by frontline workers, from healthcare workers to delivery personnel, and public figures such as Rihanna, the sisters Hadid, the Biebers, Sarah Jessica Parker, and more.[10][11] By 2025, evolvetogether had sold over $50 million in masks.[12]

The brand later expanded into personal care, offering aluminum‑free deodorant, hydrating hand cream, lip balm, and a cream‑to‑oil body wash.[13][14] All products adhere to Credo‑clean formulations, feature custom‑crafted fragrances, and use reusable or biodegradable packaging materials such as aluminum, glass, and sugarcane waste. Each item is also stamped with global coordinates.[15][16]

In 2025, Cynthia Sakai was honored as a Visionary Award recipient by CEW for her contributions to innovation in beauty and personal care.[17]

As of 2025, the brand has received two Allure “Best of Beauty” awards,[18][19] and its products are available at retailers such as Bluemercury, Nordstrom, Credo, and Erewhon.[20][21]

References

  1. ^ a b c "Cynthia K. Sakai". Vita Fede. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  2. ^ "捕捉人脈 創造潮流". MP de luxe. 2014-05-05. Retrieved 2016-08-30.
  3. ^ "CFDA". cfda.com. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  4. ^ Klein, Alyssa Vingan (11 November 2015). "How Vita Fede's Cynthia Sakai Went from Selling Tampon Cases to Building a Booming Jewelry Business". Fashionista. Retrieved 2020-04-06.
  5. ^ "VITA FEDE設計師3度來台 獻全球獨家手鍊 | 即時新聞 | 20160412 | 蘋果日報". Appledaily.com.tw. Retrieved 2016-07-05.
  6. ^ Watson, Peter (19 June 2016). "Vita Fede設計師Cynthia Sakai的時尚私品味". Harpersbazaar.com.tw. Retrieved 2016-07-05.
  7. ^ Decker, Vivienne. "How Cynthia K. Sakai Launched Vita Fede, A Jewelry Collection That Has A Cult Following Of A-Listers". Forbes. Retrieved 2019-02-06.
  8. ^ "Evolvetogether Cynthia Sakai". Cosmetic Executive Women. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  9. ^ "Cynthia Sakai". cfda.com. Retrieved 2018-09-05.
  10. ^ "Katie Holmes Expertly Matched Her Forest Green Coat with a Face Mask from the Brand Celebrities Love". People.com. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  11. ^ "Chrissy Teigen and John Legend Share Skincare Products with Each Other 'All the Time'". People.com. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  12. ^ mmeisel@rodmanmedia.com (2025-01-02). "Up & Coming Indie Beauty Brands for 2025". Happi. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  13. ^ "Does natural deodorant actually work? We asked dermatologists". NBC News. 2025-05-27. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  14. ^ McCoy, Jenny (2020-02-21). "This Deodorant Made Our Editor Smell Like a Fresh Garden Rose After a Long Run". Glamour. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  15. ^ Radloff, Jessica (2025-05-27). "evolvetogether Products Are Everywhere; That Wasn't Cynthia Sakai's Plan". Glamour. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  16. ^ "Evolvetogether Cynthia Sakai". Cosmetic Executive Women. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  17. ^ "2025 CEW Visionary Awards: Honoring Innovative Beauty Founders". www.harriswilliams.com. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  18. ^ Ballard, Jamie (2016-01-04). "Goodbye, Armpit Rashes! Hello, Aluminum-Free Deodorants". Allure. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  19. ^ Schaffner, Liana (2022-09-13). "The 46 Best Body Products of 2023". Allure. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  20. ^ Wightman-Stone, Danielle (2024-09-03). "Evolvetogether announces first retail partnership with Bluemercury". FashionUnited. Retrieved 2025-08-08.
  21. ^ WW, FashionNetwork com (2024-08-31). "Evolvetogether expands retail presence with debut in Bluemercury". FashionNetwork.com. Retrieved 2025-08-08.