Upon meeting the indie label's designer, Debbie Talanian, we were impressed with her story and her vision for her line. The mostly natural textiles used by stella proseyn are sourced from larger production labels in order to cut back on waste. Eco friendly is their game as any leftover or unusable scraps are donated or recycled. The highly original label is also designed and produced entirely in Los Angeles.
In fashion terms, Talanian was recently introduced into the world. While she has always loved fashion, she never saw it as a viable career choice until a few years ago. After spending time as an art gallery director, project manager at an interior design firm, and a newspaper reporter, she decided to try her luck at her true love: fashion design.
Vanessa- What is your design background?
Debbie Talanian (DT)- I took about two years of fashion design and production classes at a local college, I interned at three clothing companies and I worked as a design assistant for a women’s contemporary label before starting stella proseyn.
Vanessa- Where are you from and where is your label based?
DT- I live and work in downtown Los Angeles, I love it here!
Vanessa- What inspires you and your designs?
DT- I find inspiration in daily life, as cliché as that sounds. I’m drawn to myriad art and design forms – be they architecture, film, music, photography, fashion, graphics, literature – and I think they all, consciously or subconsciously, inform my design process.
Vanessa- What made you want to start your own label?
DT- I love being able to determine what a piece will look like and execute that myself, from start to finish, so that was definitely a draw. However, working independently also can be isolating; being a super-small, super-new company, I’m really flying solo and that’s hard sometimes.
Vanessa- Where do you see stella proseyn in 5 years?
DT- Hopefully it will be thriving 5 years from now, and will be widely available in boutique stores. But I see the brand staying small. I’d like to retain the sleeves-up, hands-on approach I have now. I don’t want to get lost in the production process.
Vanessa- Who are your favorite designers – current/past? Is there any particular designer or house that you emulate, career-wise or even just with your personal style?
DT- I’m going to stick with just one, my absolute and long-time favorite, Ann Demeulemeester. I won’t do her the disservice of trying to convey her aesthetic here, but I definitely will suggest visiting her website and browsing through her past collections; sometimes they knock the wind out of me.
Vanessa- What are your favorite fashion/personal style blogs?
DT- Versastyle and Bleach Black
Vanessa- What would be the ultimate achievement for your label, in your eyes?
DT- Like so many others in my position, I’d love eventually to show in New York or even Paris. With that said, I really am focused on what’s happening right in front of me. I think having lofty goals toward which to aim is great, but I don’t think one can reach such heights without taking lots, and lots, and lots of small steps along the way. I still have some shoes to wear out.
Vanessa- What do you hope to say with your designs?
DT- Maybe that a new dress can’t change your life but it can enhance and elevate your experience of a day, which can have a wonderful carry-over effect.
Vanessa- What do you hope stella proseyn customers feel when wearing one of your garments?
DT- The name stella proseyn is an anagram of “personal style”. So my hope for its wearers is that they feel the most like themselves – their best selves – when they spend a day in my garments.
Vanessa- Where can we get our stella proseyn fix?
DT- Visit my website – which will be completely redone in mid-April, and contact me directly!
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