Brand Story - Yomisma

Hi, I’m Victoria.  The details of my life are found between moments of writing and performing music, sketching fashion designs and scouring for the perfect find at a vintage find.

What I’m wearing has always been important because I have been on stage performing my whole life and in order to be confident on stage, I have needed to feel comfortable, powerful and brave.  There is a true connection between what we wear and our state of mind and this is not just when we are on stage.  Think about that time when you arrived on a date, to work, to drinks with friends and you hated what you were wearing, it affected your self-esteem right?

Like so many, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life other than perform and design clothes.  So, I got my foot in the door at the largest non-profit arts organization in Washington and worked my way up as a member of the leadership team.  In this role, I learned that the purpose of a company had to align with my own values. I learned about my deep passion for helping people in vulnerable communities.  I enjoyed my work, but I had this nagging feeling that I was meant to be running my own purpose-driven company. 

Yomisma Signature Duster Origin Story

I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit.  When I was 10 years old, my best friend and I started a neighborhood candy store.  This idea came about when we went to Costco with his Mom and we realized the price of Costco candy was 50% lower than the cost at the market we walked a mile to once a week.  We were able to charge our friends lower prices at our store than the neighborhood convenience store and still make a profit.  The profit bought us new bikes and while that was nice, it was the community, all of our friends coming together to hang out that I loved the most.

 

When I left my long-time leadership role at the multi-million dollar arts organization, I took time to pause, to really reflect on where I had been and where I wanted to go.  Sometimes we work really hard but don’t have a North star, a true vision of where we want to land.  This is what I had been doing, although the experiences along the way were invaluable to running my own company.  I decided I was going to create a life that entered around my values by combining the things that are important to me – building community, supporting women in vulnerable communities and creating clothes that make people feel confident and powerful.

 


Yo misma is the Spanish word for "self".

I chose this name because this company is really me getting back to myself. The word self is a reminder to myself and to others that we have the ability to shape our lives however we see fit and that our lives only need to makes sense to ourselves. The brand is about listening to ourselves, trusting ourselves and caring for ourselves - the brand is all about self.

Why the focus on sustainability?

I used to be a fast fashion junkie. Forever 21 was a few blocks from my office in Seattle and I’d get tons of clothes there. But the last time I went there, protestors held signs like “stop child labor” “Did you know your clothes were made in a sweatshop?”

 

I went online to see what the protest was all about and I started unpeeling the onion of the fast fashion industry. I changed my buying habits. I bought less. I saved up to buy higher-quality pieces that felt timeless (but not boring.)

Fast forward 7 years.

I launched a clothing line that pays people a fair wage. We use recycled and biodegradable materials wherever possible and avoid harsh chemicals. No waste means limited quantities. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

We all wear many hats

I wanted to create a garment that elevated any outfit and made women feel amazing each time they put it on.

Business clothes never felt comfortable on me. I never felt like myself. The day before I was keynoting a big event, I realized my outfit just didn’t make me feel good. So I found a duster at my favorite vintage shop. And the rest was history.

I felt so good on stage when I wore that duster to present - it made me feel so confident and alive. And I wore it all the time to big meetings for an extra boost. I really haven’t found items that elevate outfits like this - so I wanted to make one! I can’t wait to see what amazing things you do in your Yomisma duster.

Signature Dusters

Yomisma aspires to change the way that people look at their clothes by shedding light on the impact that the clothing industry has on people and the planet. I believe clothing has the power to change how we feel. I can’t wait to see what you do in your Yomisma garments.