Today we’d like to introduce you to Domonique Gadson.
Domonique, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I was raised with an immense love for fashion, stemmed from my mother and grandmothers, but a lack of love of myself. Growing up, I was always a curvier girl and I remember crying in the fitting rooms of my favorite department stores on our weekly shopping trips because only 1 of the 15 garments that I took in would fit. My parents treated my younger sister and I like princesses and we were constantly reminded of how beautiful we were but when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t always love what I saw.
I was raised around many entrepreneurs so I’d say that is what lit my entrepreneurial flame, When I was in grade school I would braid hair and even started my first “fashion business”, PYT Flip Flops where I would redesign the $1 flip flops from Old Navy in various colors and designs upon request.
Fast-forwarding a few years, it wasn’t until I got to college that I realized how amazing I really am, both inside and out. I began to blossom into myself as a woman and experiment with fashion a lot more. I would purchase items from local thrift stores and restructure them to fit me and my style. This is where my love of sewing and design stemmed. (Not to mention, I was a struggling college kid that was very involved on campus and it was almost a sin to be seen in the same thing twice.) My parents gifted me with a sewing machine for Christmas in 2012 and I never really looked back.
After relocating from my college town in 2016, I fell into a depression without knowing exactly what I wanted to do with my life. In my search for a job I would make skirts and skirt sets occasionally, with my clientele stemming from my hometown of Charleston, SC.
I broke up with my sewing machine for years but soon, I found that the job I wanted so bad was literally draining me. After some time, I got back into sewing but not really pushing myself as much as I could. Some would say, playing it safe. In 2018 I was contacted by the fiancee’ of a family friend to complete my very first bridal gown and two weeks after their nuptials, I found the courage to leave my call center job and pursue my fashion endeavors.
Not only am I the founder and designer of D. Janaya Exclusive, but I am also the owner and designer of Make God Famous Brand, and the co-owner of Cover’d Official. I have recently begun to offer private instruction for aspiring designers and offer digital products as well.
I have been so blessed with an amazing support system that has wholeheartedly prayed over and covered me.
I find it my purpose to eradicate low self-esteem through the channels of faith, fashion, and design. I know that in my journey, I have a long way to go but I am grateful for every single day that I can carry out my God-given purpose, adorning my amazing clients in beautiful garments and sharing my knowledge of business and fashion with others. My hope is that through my story of self-acceptance and tenacity, someone will be able to see that they too can design the life that they truly love.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The road has definitely not been a smooth one.
Again, my own self-perceptions were my biggest hurdles to overcome. I struggled with a lot of self-doubt and anxiety. I always had a great support system in everything that I did but it wasn’t until I got over my own self and truly prayed and sought clarification on my purpose and journey that I found it.
A lot of times I have been my own worst enemy. I have been so hard on myself and even as I often feel that I’m a perfectionist, I can still be hard on myself.
When I initially left my job I had no real plan. My support system told me to go for it and that’s just what I did. Entrepreneurship has no manual or handbook to go by so I was literally led by faith and wisdom. That’s one of the hardest things for someone who lives in their own head 99% of the time to do.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about D. Janaya Exclusive – what should we know?
D. Janaya Exclusive is a women’s wear clothing line where I design and produce ready-to-wear and custom garments for women of all sizes. I have designed gowns for occasions such as proms, galas, and more extensively, brides on their big days. We have become most known for our formal wear.
I’m so grateful that many have come to know us through our “bold, classy, & unapologetic” custom designs. We design for the woman to wear the garment and not for the garment to wear her. I aim for every woman to walk in and captivate the room when she wears one of our designs.
I believe that our custom design process and great service is what sets us apart from other brands. In a world where boutiques pop up daily, I love the fact that we can design specifically for our clients where they are not bound by certain sizes and styles.
In the future we are expanding in collections of more casual and loungewear and I believe that these lines will really resonate with even more women and give our brand an extended sense of longevity.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
First, I give all credit to God for blessing me with the gift of sewing and designing. I did not go to school or formally study design so for me to build a career in this field without that training is truly a blessing.
My family has been a large part of my success as well. They are literally my biggest supporters. When I finish garments, they are the first to see them. When I left my “9-5” I’m sure they thought I was crazy and questioned my method but their support never wavered.
My friends and my “village” are constantly sharing my work and shouting me out via social media and by word of mouth. I even had a client of mine tell me that I was the subject of conversation in a nail shop in my hometown and that was a big shock to me, but for that I’m also very grateful.
As far as clients, I have equal gratitude for each of them. My very first bride will forever hold a special place in my heart for entrusting me with her big day as well. She catapulted me into that particular season of my life.
Pricing:
- Custom Dresses – $300
- Custom Gowns – $500
- Custom Bridal – $1000
Contact Info:
- Address: Charlotte Metropolitan Area
- Website: www.domoniquejanaya.com ; www.djanayaexclusive.com
- Phone: 980.263.9250
- Instagram: instagram.com/thedomoniquejanaya; instagram.com/djanayaexclusive;
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/djanayaexclusive
Image Credit:
@photosbyrj
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