Creativity often thrives in moments of discomfort, and sometimes our brightest ideas come to us during the darkest times. Just ask Alyssa Wasko, founder, and designer of Los Angeles-based lifestyle brand, DONNI. 

 

Following the passing of her father Donald, and in search of a creative outlet to cope with grief, Alyssa started DONNI in 2009. As a brand rooted in comfort and known initially for its signature oversized scarves, DONNI has since grown to include an expansive, yet curated collection of ready-to-wear clothing, accessories, and jewelry.

 

Early in her career, however, Alyssa spent six years as a Visual/Image Consultant at Chanel, refining her ability to spot and develop trends in the market, and ultimately enabling her to create demand for her highly sought-after designs. Now, at the helm of DONNI, she continues to cultivate a loyal community that frequently sells out collection drops within hours of a release (AMAZING), and further cement the brand as a notable name in fashion.

 

She is passionate about giving back and supporting her LA community, and since the brand’s inception, has donated proceeds from each product drop to various organizations, raising thousands of dollars for charitable initiatives. She also sits on the board of directors for the HIT Living Foundation and was honored to be named Forbes 30 under 30 in the Art & Style category in 2019.

 

Despite going through a difficult loss in her early years, she found a silver lining and successfully built a thriving business. I’m thrilled to chat with Alyssa all about how she overcame real-life struggles, turned a simple but beautiful concept into a lounge and leisure sensation, and built a dedicated team in the process.

 

 

Sponsors:

• Clare | Visit Clare at www.clare.com/party to get started. And receive 10% off your order. That’s www.clare.com/party for 10% off.

 

Resources:

• To join the WorkParty click here
• To connect with Alyssa Wasko click here
• To connect with Jaclyn Johnson click here
• To follow along with DONNI click here
• To follow along with Create & Cultivate click here
• To submit your questions call the WorkParty Hotline: 1-(833)-57-PARTY (577-2789)

 

Produced by Dear Media

This episode may contain paid endorsements and advertisements for products and services. Individuals on the show may have a direct, or indirect financial interest in products, or services referred to in this episode.