Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Cassina.
Claudia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Desperate LA is a boutique in East Hollywood that features independent designers from all over the world. I’m curating a space full of conversation pieces made for strong, playful women who are not afraid to show the world who they are.
After graduating with a degree in fashion from IED Milano and working as a stylist for several years, I’ve imagined a new kind of boutique and opened Desperate LA in 2016.
The name of the boutique comes from a song by the post-punk band Adam And The Ants “Desperate But Not Serious” that has became my life mantra!
Has it been a smooth road?
I think my biggest challenge is trying to convince LA women that being well dressed and looking fancy is something extremely empowering and beautiful. We (women) have such a beautiful and strong body that we have to cherish every day!
We bring beauty to the word and that’s something that sometimes we forget. As Oscar Wilde said, “You can never be overdressed or overeducated”.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Desperate LA story. Tell us more about the business.
“Desperate But Not Serious” was born in Milano in 2014 as an online magazine, a place for young artists to freely share their work and aesthetic. It became a store in 2016, a space to get fully immersed in my crazy world.
At Desperate I select independent designers from all over the world. I guess the boutique is known as a place where to get incredibly precious pieces that you’ll not find anywhere else. I have exclusives with many of my brands and, for most of them, I’m the only seller in the US.
I work as a buyer, a salesperson, a PR and social media manager! Hopefully, I’ll find someone to help me soon. =)
What makes me the proudest is the relationship with my clients and how, with most of the people that gravitate around Desperate, it’s easy to bond and create beautiful friendships.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Sportswear is a big thing now. I hope, however, it will not become our daily uniform!
Sweaters and yoga pants are comfy but nothing would make you feel more empowered than a cute dress or a nicely tailored suit.
We’ll probably experiment an even a bigger shift on the online vs bricks and mortar. I am myself a big online shopper. 😉
Pricing:
- My pricing starts at $10 and ends at $2500
Contact Info:
- Address: 4851 Fountain Ave, 90029, Los Angeles, CA
- Website: desperatelosangeles.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: desperatelosangeles
- Facebook: desperateloangeles
Image Credit:
Olivia Mc Manus, Claudia Cassina, Pilar Sophia, Sophie Strauss, Chandra Anderson
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