Words like “Miracle,” and “Patience" are more than embroidered details on trucker caps and clothing for LA-based designer Doni Nahmias, but words that are cemented in the foundation of his brand. Launching Nahmias in 2018, the brand has quickly gained notoriety through luxury boutiques such as SSENSE, Maxfields LA, and H.Lorenzo. In addition to the lineup of top retailers, Nahmias has been able to grace the outfits of influential celebrities such as Justin Bieber, J.Cole, James Harden, and many more. WIth Doni being a long time friend to the FMF team we decided to further discuss the foundations of his brand, upcoming collections, and the impact COVID-19 has placed upon day-to-day operations. Be sure to read the full interview below and catch up on Nahmias' A/W2-0 & S/S21 collections below.

For those who aren’t familiar with you or your eponymous label, can you introduce yourself and your brand?

“For sure. My name is Doni Nahmias, I’m 27 years young, from Santa Barbara, CA. I founded Nahmias in January of 2018 and currently serve as the creative director.”

What initially inspired you to launch Nahmias, and looking back how has the journey been thus far?

“I’ve been fascinated with fashion and design since I was a kid. I would walk through luxury department stores and just be transfixed by the clothing, the accessories, the aesthetics, but at that point in my life, I couldn’t buy anything. I remember the first time I walked into Barney’s, and especially Maxfield in LA, I instantly fell in love with that world of fashion and I knew, ok, this is what I want to do.

For me, fashion design is as much a form of therapy as it is a creative expression. But the journey has been a slow, passionate grind. Being a self-taught designer took a lot of work, and it’s been a long, very tedious process. But that difficulty made me appreciate every win and milestone that much more.”

Before launching your own label, what were you working on prior to Nahmias?

“I had very little fashion experience before starting Nahmias. At the time I was working 3 jobs: I’d bartend at Chateau Marmont and the Four Seasons, then on the weekends I’d drive back home to Santa Barbara to work at Esau's Cafe.

Every extra dollar I could make, I put directly into the process of just teaching myself how to build a brand. I’d spend all my money on patterns, samples, and anything else I could find to just create and put things together.

I was lucky enough that a designer I looked up to in the fashion industry, Mike Amiri, brought me on as an intern in 2017. Mike let me shadow him through the process, which let me learn and soak in the knowledge of not just what it means to design clothes, but to run a successful company. He’s been a great mentor to me throughout my development process of building Nahmias thus far.”

How have your past experiences played a role in the development of your brand?

“My past is a huge part of my process. I draw a lot on my life experiences and the communities I came from when I’m designing. Growing up in Santa Barbara, I would play a lot of basketball, surf, and skateboard. SB is kind of a unique city in that you get an interesting mix of all those cultures and I blend that into my designs today.”

Tell us about your latest collection and the lookbook that coincides with that collection…

“Our latest collection is called SUMMERLAND STATE, and we showed it in Paris for AW20. For this collection, I was really interested in that kind of vintage Ivy League student-athlete story, but I wanted to bring it into a language of modern luxury.

Honestly, it started when I was kind of looking through some old vintage shops and I found these old beat-up football pants from the 1930s – they were in a very rough fabric, but I had this idea of, what if we re-did this in silk? So we re-created these pants in heavy sand-washed silk, and I loved the way they came out. We ended up creating different versions in silk, wool, and French terry.

From there we kept expanding. We re-worked old rugby football shirt styles, khaki trousers, gym sweatsuits, and loungewear; basically taking silhouettes you might see on campus back in the mid-20th century, but bringing the fabrics and design aesthetic into a very modern luxury feel.

I created this visual symbol of vintage sportswear but it's taken out of its element and showcased in a new light, in a new environment. “

A lot of celebrities have begun wearing your label- especially your FW 19 collection- how has that been received by you?

“Yeah, a lot of celebs have started to pick up on Nahmias – we’ve had people like J Cole, Justin, and Hailey Bieber, and James Harden wearing our stuff. I definitely feel proud to know that I’m competing with some of the biggest designers in the world for placement with these celebrities. All of our growth has been organic, so knowing they genuinely want to wear and purchase our products – it’s a special feeling. It’s humbling. And obviously it really elevates our brand awareness, but just on a personal level, I’m really grateful.”

Before the Quarantine, what was a normal day to day for you?

“In the studio, 8 am-8 pm, pretty much every day. Running around Los Angeles, picking up supplies, dropping off supplies, hitting meetings, and just creating. And-constant phone calls, endless parking tickets, and tons of street cart burritos.”

I saw that you and your team produced masks for a variety of different essential workers in LA- can you tell us about that experience?

“That project was honestly even greater and more special than I thought it would be. It’s been really uplifting and heartwarming, especially to see people’s reactions face-to-face. And I didn’t even realize how much need there is for these masks until we started making them – our inbox has blown up with nurses and other frontline workers in need of face masks and people are really grateful to receive them. I’m just grateful to be able to help people who are doing such a critical job, especially right now, and also have to thank Greg Lauren for the inspiration and for connecting us with the special materials we needed to make them.

We’re continuing to grow this project, too. Starting next week, we’ll have a new line of New Miracle masks that are elevated and lined in silk, and all profits will go towards charities that are fighting this pandemic and to the costs of making more masks for people in need.”

What are you currently working on/ looking forward to?

“Right now the biggest thing is that I’m working on design and development for our SS21 collection. Obviously everything is in flux right now, so Luke and I are working to figure out the best way to be strategic, proactive, and above all, safe for the upcoming season.

I’m really excited about the new collection, and we’re working on a short visual to accompany it that I’m really looking forward to. We’re also currently building out our new e-commerce platform to launch alongside our AW20 collection and we’re expecting that to go live in July.”

What is your greatest achievement so far?

“I’d say greatest achievement so far would be our Maxfield Window installation for the SS20 ‘Above The Waters’ Collection. A dream of mine since I started was to have a Maxfield window display and it came true.”

Lastly, do you have any words of encouragement or advice for people who are wanting to start a brand/ or work in the fashion industry?

“PATIENCE. That is my biggest word of advice. The fashion industry is a really hard market to tap into – it’s so small, it’s so competitive, and there are a lot of really talented people who want to be here. But you can do it, and it’s definitely possible. You just have to be smart and never quit. Focus on your craft, and finding your own voice is very important.”

Nahmias: An Interview with Doni Nahmias