We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Laura Howe a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.

Size is realative At Matrushka, we provide something almost no one else does: hand-made clothes that can be altered on the spot! It’s all about simplicity and great fit. Clothes should look great, be comfortable, and give you confidence for every occasion. In our shop, if you don’t find your size, we will make it for you.

The above is a brief mission statement.

I started Matrushka with the idea that things can be made here in America and done at with quality at an affordable price. We hand make each piece in the shop and employee people in the community. I believe that things can be made in a limited and special way to make the experience unique to each person visiting. We have our sewing machines right in the shop and visible for everyone to see. We use deadstock fabric which helps cut down industry waste. When you visit Matrushka you can see our designs and can buy right off the rack but if you don’t see your size or fabric you like we make it for you and to your measurements. I can also alter the garment right on the spot if it needs a slight alteration, like a hem or taken in a bit. I have always believed in a more accessible approach to design in the I think everyone should be able to have nice well fitting clothes at a price that isn’t prohibitive.

Also when you visit the shop many of the pieces are one of a kind so you never know what you will find. We do offer conventional sizes but since we make everything in house we can do whatever size you need.

Laura, 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?

I come from a family that believes in the importance of honing a craft and sharing it with others. My English grandmother was a seamstress and meticulous dresser and had a profound influence upon me. After many years, I’ve grown into a clothing designer, art patron and entrepreneur. I believe strongly in the holistic benefit of making dresses within our community – by the people, for the people.

I grew up in Ohio and came to LA in 1985. I went to USC and got a bachelor in Fine Arts. I had my first solo show right out of collage and spent several years persueing a fine arts career. I worked as a fabricator, welder, carpenter, painter, and worked in many galleries and museums. I was also in two bands: Two Much Girl and Der Splatzen during the 90’s. The downtown and Silverlake arts scene was incredibly vibrant and an exciting place to be.

During all this time I slowly got obsessed with clothing design and fabrication. I made pieces and sold in several small boutiques in the neighborhood before becoming involved with Matrushka Construction in 2002. On a budget on nothing we renovated a small space within the food storage area of Millies Cafe and embarked on creating unique bespoke clothing for the next 21 years. We had events in the early days to gain attention and one of the most successful were our T-Shirt Nights.
We would take orders similar to the fast food concept and proceeded to make 100 t=shirts in one night! We would get many volunteers some of whom are local famous musicans from the Silversun Pickups and Denque Fever and many other amazing artists. These events turned into great dance parties as well.

The idea I always believed in being closely involved in the community. I think my designs have been informed as much by my clients as by inspiration in fashion. I see people everyday trying on my clothes so I have been able to really work on getting great fits that work on all body types. I can design and alter pieces that fit anyone. I also love looking for good fabrics. We are so lucky to be in a city with one of the biggest fabric districts in the country. I usually go downtown looking for fabric 2 or 3 ties a week. I compare it to a chef who wants to get the best produce from the market before it is gone. It is very exciting to score great fabric and get back to the shop and create new pieces.

We even make our own shopping bags out of the scrap fabric and print out own labels for the garments. I have also a passion for the environment and wildlife. I love creating and collaborating with other artists for images to put on our garments.I have always done our own silk screening for t-shirts and jackets, dresses ect. I do all of it on site and every piece ordered on the website is silkscreen and made by myself. I think I have sewn close to 20,000 t shirts over the years.

What is unique about Matrushka is that we do everything I mean everything ourselves and it has worked. I wish more people would believe in what can be done in business in their own community and not out sourcing to big factories.

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

Well one is that I thought I was going to be the next art star but then turned to fashion.

One more interesting pivot came more recently when the pandemic hit and the world was shut down. Not for Matrushka we announced that we were gong to make masks. With in the first 2 days we took over 2,000 orders. I actually had to hire a team of home sewers who would come to the shop each day and pick up packets we would make (there were 3 of us that isolated ourselves in the shop). Over the next two months we made over 20,000 masks and donated over 2,000 to people in need such and clinics, veterans, and organizations all around the country.
It was a very scary but exciting time.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

One of the most rewarding things I have experienced with Matrushka especially when it seems like the world is stacked against you and small business is how excited or grateful clients are for what you do. I have had clients break down and cry when they struggle to find clothes that fit them or they are feeling unattractive. I have always used the motto that “Size is Relative”, meaning that the labels of small, medium, and large are just a construct created to give people a guide to find things that fit. I wish there was another way of labeling clothes so people would not get so upset about their size. There is so much variation in size that it shouldn’t be used as a way to make people feel bad about themselves.

So when people come to me and find things that fit they are so so happy and many times people have told me they thought they couldn’t wear dresses or certain clothes. People have had such gratitude for what I have made for them and I can tell it makes them feel good about themselves. That is incredibly rewarding to me and gives me a sense of purpose.
I believe that is partly why I have been in business so long because I can make things to fit each individual and they keep coming back for more.

Contact Info:

• Website: matrushka.com
• Instagram: Matrushkastyle
• Facebook: Matrushka Construction
• Linkedin: Matrushka
• Twitter: Matrushkastyle
• Yelp: Matrushka Construction

Image Credits
Marc Luckea