Meet Our LA SS22 BAES
We launched the Brand Assembly Emerging Section, or BAES, to show love to small businesses and independent designers after a year of unpredictability. BAES is a curated showcase within our flagship trade show of the best in new and emerging brands and talent, and it stands as a reminder that discovery is key, all brands start small, and connection is everything.
Learn more about some of our BAES brands, and come say hi this October 11-13 at the Cooper Design Space in Los Angeles.
Phoebe Kunitomi of okko
okko empowers all women to declutter in more ways than one — starting with the top drawer.
CITY: Miami, FL
WHAT SETS YOUR BRAND APART: okko is a bodywear brand grounded in the ethos of minimalism. I started okko to integrate a more conscious mentality into the daily choices we make about what to wear. That's why we say we want to empower women to cut the clutter -- through designing versatile, comfortable, and inclusive undergarments. What sets us apart is that our collection is laser focused on the everyday styles and colors that women actually wear. We skip the trendy drops that make you feel compelled to purchase just because. As minimalists, our team only wants our customers to buy what they need -- and we mean it.
THE FIRST PRODUCT YOU EVER DEVELOPED: Our brief! At first, I envisioned that okko would develop only a collection of underwear. However, after speaking with 100+ women during our pre-launch days, it became crystal clear that undergarment-related pain points were much broader than that. So, I got started on designing other pieces for the foundation layer.
WHAT YOU WOULD BE IF NOT A DESIGNER: I would work at a very early stage startup. I've always loved building and growing business from the ground up. It makes me excited to wake up every morning. I worked at a machine learning startup before okko, so I likely would pursue a similar industry.
Follow @okko.co
Willee Reed Roberts of Hampui Hats
Hampui Hats is based on the belief that hats can be tools for transformation.
CITY: Berkeley, CA
WHAT SETS YOUR BRAND APART: Through a journey of uncovering the ancient art of hat making, we have developed a product and process that is rooted in reciprocity with the land, our indigenous partners, and the community that wears our hats. Prayers before Profits. A blessing on your head.
THE FIRST PRODUCT YOU EVER DEVELOPED: When I entered the hat game, I couldn't help but notice that every hat looked and felt similar. They were either cheap and flimsy, feeling like cardboard (over time turning into wet cardboard) or expensive and fine, being made with rabbit or beaver fur, which didn't sit right with me. So I strapped on my backpack and returned to the Andes, where I had traveled and lived extensively, this time in search of hats. I caught buses from hatmaker to hatmaker through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, looking for the raw materials to make my hats. I followed the bread crumbs to a century old felt factory in the highlands, making hats exclusively for their local cowboys. The next years I spent developing their factory to meet our standards of quality. The wool is all sourced from free range sheep within 100 miles of the factory. Our fur is reclaimed from invasive nutria. It has taken a great deal of time and effort, but I believe, through that first journey, we were able to develop the finest hat on the market, at the most accessible price.
LOVE OR HATE - YOUR OWN BIRTHDAY: Love my birthday. Any excuse to bring together the web of my community in celebration.
Follow @hampui_hats
Gwen Beloti of Gwen Beloti Collection
The Gwen Beloti Collection is designed to make your accessory experience effortless and fashionable.
CITY: Brooklyn, NY
WHAT SETS YOUR BRAND APART: We are a women's gold jewelry brand and design only gold jewelry. We are all things golden. We prioritize style and quality and offer extended sizes so all golden beauties can enjoy our jewelry.
THE FIRST PRODUCT YOU EVER DEVELOPED: A nameplate necklace with my beloved hometown of Brooklyn spread across the front.
SOMETHING THAT’S ALWAYS IN YOUR PURSE: Cell phone, I don't leave home without it. I run a good portion of my business on my phone so it is a non-negotiable to be caught without it.
Follow @gwenbeloti
Naomi Gassel & Martha Duerr of Pali Swim
Pali Swim is classic sportswear you can swim in.
CITY: We are a bicoastal brand with Naomi in San Francisco, CA and Martha in Hilo, Hi. We like to cover as much of the Pacific Ocean as possible :)
WHAT SETS YOUR BRAND APART: We produce a core collection of versatile styles (some genderless) that you can return to season after season. This helps us reduce waste and ensures that the perfect fit is seasonless. We use recycled, natural and deadstock fabrics — old fishing nets and repurposed nylon — to expertly craft durable designs because we believe in doing everything we can to continue swimming in the places we love.
THE FIRST PRODUCT YOU EVER DEVELOPED: A naturally dyed hoodie towel made for adults - turns out the market wasn't quite as ready for it as we were.
AN UNUSUAL HOBBY YOU WANT TO PICK UP: Dumpster diving! We've gotten really into doing beach clean ups and using the trash to create products. We've also been experimenting how we can use plant and food waste in natural dyes in a larger scale past our accessories.
Follow @paliswim
Dushyant Asthana of DUSHYANT.
DUSHYANT. is an eponymous brand born out of love for color, art and architecture.
CITY: Los Angeles, CA
WHAT SETS YOUR BRAND APART: The brand is focused on merging my two worlds and my two sensibilities. Being raised in Jaipur, India, I am extremely fond of handmade textiles. And having lived in Southern California for most of my adult life, I love relaxed comfortable garments. With my brand, I merged the two worlds and created an aesthetic that blends eastern textiles with modern California silhouettes. Our textiles and fabrics are handmade, and handmade process is an integral part of the brand story. In my own small way, through the brand, I pay homage to both communities that have shaped me.
THE FIRST PRODUCT YOU EVER DEVELOPED: For my brand, it was an oversized gender fluid tunic. It was inspired by the rugged desert lifestyle, but also had a flow-y drape-y oversized look. I still have that piece! And the first product that I ever ever ever developed has to be when I was 12 or 13 (and growing rapidly in height) and found my dad’s bell bottom pants in storage. I took those pants to the local tailor and got them altered and modified to fit me. A genuine head turner in those days, if I may so so myself!
LOVE OR HATE - BIKING: Ooh, tough one. Neither, I think. Given a choice, I’d rather walk, even for a few miles. Love walking!
Follow @dushyant.la
Stephanie Pappas of Dear Botanics
Dear Botanics is a hand blended botanical skincare line and herbal apothecary.
CITY: Livingston Manor at the foot of the Catskill Mountains in NY
WHAT SETS YOUR BRAND APART: Dear Botanics addresses the needs of the modern woman while steeped in ancient wisdom and knowledge.
THE FIRST PRODUCT YOU EVER DEVELOPED: Earth Body- I made this product when I was student at The NY Institute of Aromatherapy. I made it for my at-the-time boyfriend. To my surprise he was constantly getting compliments on the scent. When I decided to move forward with my own line for sale, I went with the one made out of love and has received so much love.
FAVORITE SEASON: I love summer, not only because I am a sun worshipper but because It is the time of year that is lightest, when exploration and expansion occur.
Follow @dearbotanics
