What made you want to start La Detresse?
I wanted to make cool clothes! It started because I saw that there was a hole in the market for denim jackets, a really cool brand that made the denim jacket the core. In the last year and a half we have brought in sweats and we love the response but every collection will have a denim jacket at the center.
Photo courtesy of La Detresse
We love that La Detresse is made in LA! What advice would you give to someone looking to create a locally made product?
Don’t settle with the first place that says they can make your product. Find someone who believes in your vision, and it might take time but you will find someone who is just as passionate about making it for you as you are about making it.
How did you go from idea to execution?
I went from idea to Emily (my business partner) Emily is the embodiment of execution. I’m a go getter but she’s the one planning and google doc-ing. I always say figure out if you’re the business or the talent. That’s a crude way to say, if you want to be creative find a partner who is good at organizing and executing, if you’re that person find a creative. If you’re both, I bow to you!
Photo of Founders Alana Hadid and Emily Perlstein, source Instagram
What were some unexpected hurdles you faced when starting your business?
I think I truly thought, I would launch it and it would sell out LOL, the entire process has been a learning experience. We are completely self funded, so that has been a constant hurdle.
Best advice you’ve received?
Best advice has been, don’t stop, my mom would tell me all the time in the beginning when it was hard and we were really sorting through everything, don’t stop, you have to know you gave a chance. I feel so indebted to that mentality!
What does Support Your Local Girl Gang mean to you?
It means support your friends, I love what’s been going on lately with small business support. When I see another female lead brand or small business, whether it’s big or small I know what they went through and I want to throw my support behind them. It’s important to uplift women as much as we can, it will come back to you 10 fold.
Shop at La Detresse and receive 10% off with code: GirlGang10
Favorite female owned businesses:
Little House confections: this is an LA based business created during Covid19 quarantine and they donate 12% to local charities plus their cakes are so good it’s insane.
Anything that Danielle Bernstein is doing, she’s creating cool affordable clothes and giving back its amazing to watch!
P.E Nation: Pip is a good friend and Her partner Claire is such a powerhouse. This is such an awesome brand I feel like I’ve been watching from the beginning and I adore everything from the workout to the denim
My girl Natalia Benson is a motivational speaker, coach, mystic, astrologer and spiritual goddess. She is her brand and everyone needs one of her in their life.
Bardo collective: by my beautiful friend Tallulah, she is donating a percentage of sales and creating amazing candles with vibes and energy of Venice.
Maison Tess: a gorgeous linen home brand out of Canada. They make amazing products and raise up other small businesses. I love this brand.
Dannijo: such a great brand, two awesome sisters and their line has evolved so much. It’s beautiful!
shhh silk: I have grown to love this brand even more after meeting Olivia their founder. She is a badass self starter and her business model always has giving back at the center of her mission.
Fueling the fearless: a female run charity! Supporting small business restaurants and giving that food to medical workers on the front line and helping people affected by Covid19.
About Alana Hadid
Alana Hadid was born right outside of Washington, DC in a Virginia suburb. Even from a young age she loved fashion, wore and constructed crazy and unique clothes. She was a California girl at heart, her 8th grade principle prediction she would be in Vogue. When he father moved to LA when she was 6 she knew she had found her place. However she also had a passion for politics, after studying political science in college, she moved to LA, had many jobs including a T-shirt line Better Bacon, running her fathers art gallery and doing the door at a club! A brief move to both Australia and Portugal and she was back in LA. In 2013 she began styling and personal shopping and found her true passion in design. She came up with the idea for La Detresse after an interesting dream and difficult client fitting. A few years later she became friends with a fellow east coast girl and stylist, Emily Perlstein and not before making her sign an NDA, she told her friend the interesting idea and La Detresse was born.
Alana lives and works in LA where she is on the board of Make-A-Wish greater LA as well as designing and running La Detresse with Emily. She consults for multiple businesses and is a full time influencer. She had been featured in Vogue Japan (profiled above her all time idol Ana Dello Russo, a major moment for her), Grazia, Who What Wear, WWD, Angelina Magazine and W magazine, both as a designer, influencer and contributor.