We recently connected with Domonique Gadson and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Domonique thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.

I feel that in the general fashion industry, the average sized woman in America is underrepresented in a global perspective. On runways and in the fashion industry things have begun to open up a bit but there is still a misunderstanding. When you walk into most retailers, the clothing in the mid to plus size departments are not very appealing.

My quest is to make the underrepresented woman in America visible and make her look GOOD when she is seen.

Domonique, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Learning a craft from the bottom up, and still learning might I add, is not easy. I am challenged to constantly evolve with trends while still remaining authentic. I think that this is something that D. Janaya The Label has managed to do well. I never wanted to become a “fast fashion” business. That isn’t my lane, for ethical reasons so priding the brand on exclusivity of the process and designs but also the inclusivity of sizing and demographic has been a focal point.

What sets my brand apart from others is the creativity and inclusivity that I provide. My clients and customers often speak about how they didn’t think that they could ever get anything custom due to their curves or particular body shape. We embrace all of that. I’ve done my best in creating a seamless process from start to finish. From the moment that an inquiry is sent, to the pickup and delivery of a garment, I want my clients to know that they are a priority and that their special event or day was at the top of our agenda.

I’m absolutely excited about what is to come for D. Janaya The Label. Of course, as any small business, we are growing and scaling. When things get to this point it gets real so there are particular systems and changes that have to be implemented. Not only am I excited about the scaling and growing of the business and administrative side of things but also the creative side! The challenges that come with fashion design and keeping up with techniques is a world of its own. I’m so proud of how the brand has grown and the recognition as well. Once I became, “OMG you’re the girl that makes those bomb dresses” I knew that things were getting serious. I’m just excited to grow the team and create opportunities for others as well.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

The pandemic defintiely taught me the art of the pivot. When mny business wasn’t seeing as much conversion, I began making face masks. However, now that we are on the other side of the pandemic, I have begun to position my business for unprecedented times such as those.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

New clients have always been a blessing of word of mouth from friends and family. Many people where I am from and where I am currently located do not custom designs When others share my work on social media then that gives me the chance to build relationships with those clients even when they aren’t in my area.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.djanayathelabel.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/djanayathelabel

Image Credits
JR Roseborough Kalonji Keita El Smile Photography AJ Smalls