We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jonathan Marc Stein a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Jonathan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I did not always know I wanted to be in the fashion industry. After contemplating my future while in high school I settled on either being a chef, architect, or artist. When it came time to decide what major I would choose when starting university, a degree in Mechanical Engineering seemed to be a challenge I wanted to pursue. While waiting for a lecture to start during my sophomore year, I decided to open up Youtube and found an intriguing video of a 1990-something Alexander McQueen runway show. From this point on I became fascinated with all things fashion and set my mind on manifesting a career in the industry for myself. I started to teach myself the skills of design, sewing, and pattern-making. After a long year of practicing and developing the necessary skills, I put together a makeshift collection. Putting yourself out there in new territory can be a frightening endeavor for pretty much anyone. I decided to enter and was chosen to showcase my first ever pieces at a local fashion event in Columbus, Ohio. I received really good feedback and the audience loved it. A scout for Los Angeles Fashion Week found my work and asked me to showcase my collection in LA for the first time. It was exhilarating not only due to the adventure of it all, but the fact that there were celebrities in the audience judging my work. It was not until a few days after that someone from THE New York Fashion Week saw my work and invited me out (keep in mind I am traveling and doing all of this while still finishing up my strenuous degree in Mechanical Engineering). I had only a couple of months to develop a brand new collection and really find my own aesthetic that would become my brand identity today. From here on out I really knew that I could do this and that this path was what I was meant to do for the rest of my life.

Jonathan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Hi! I am Jonathan Marc Stein. I am a fashion designer and the Founder and Creative Director of my namesake brand, JONATHAN MARC STEIN Atelier. I am located in Los Angeles, California and create luxury clothing and accessories for women and men alike as well as my many celebrity clients. I got into the fashion industry while finishing up my degree in Mechanical Engineering. While I work with a variety of materials, I am known for incorporating skillful work with leather into my collections. I currently have two tiers, my luxury main brand JONATHAN MARC STEIN Atelier, and my latest diffusion line entitled JMS. While my bread and butter remains couture, I wanted to create a branch of my brand with the everyday consumer in mind. Focused on ready to wear designs, the diffusion line makes my signature craftsmanship and attention to details accessible to a wider audience. The line incorporates sustainable practices by repurposing leather scraps and using ethically sourced materials. It’s a testament to my commitment to marrying high fashion with conscious design at an affordable price point. My diffusion line reflects my belief that fashion should be attainable and reduce waste in the fashion industry. With that, the collection is perfect for those who want a touch of high fashion in their everyday wardrobe! It is my life’s work to create beautiful pieces for individuals of every background, ethnicity, shape, size, and gender, all while ensuring they feel beautiful, confident, and badass in their own skin. Through my many paths during this adventure, I have accomplished so much. From procuring a long list of celebrity clients, to showcasing at major fashion weeks, and even winning major awards beating out well known designers from across the globe. I am extremely proud of how far I have come and will continue to create garments and accessories that are not only gorgeous, but are ethically sourced and sustainable to help maintain a future for us all.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My journey in this industry has had quite a lot of ups, but not many people will share the downs. In 2022, I experienced the hardest thing one should have to go through. My father Daniel was murdered while on a work trip to Ohio. I was right in the middle of creating a new collection and when I received the news I was driven into a very deep pit of despair. It is definitely a part of me that is hard to share with anyone. I could not work for quite awhile but knew that I had to continue on with the incredible support of my family, friends, and amazing team. I tried to utilize my pain and create something beautiful out of it and decided upon creating a piece that reminded me of him and named it after him, The DAN/IEL trench coat.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

Being in the Hollywood spotlight requires a lot of upkeep. Maintaining relationships and relevance can be quite tiresome. I have so many amazing clients, some of whom are now close friends. I make sure to do weekly check-ins with them in a variety of ways. I make sure to not only provide excellent service, but also to treat everyone with kindness and respect. Many of my clients come back for more work due to this. I do my best to surround myself with people who share the same morals and ideals and thus work with some pretty amazing clients. I always put my mark on the pieces I create for them, but also want them to see themselves in the designs I create as I cater each garment and accessory in their image.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jonathanmarcstein.com
• Instagram: @JonathanMarcStein
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JONATHANMARCSTEIN/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanmarcstein