Last month I was honored in one of many profiles featuring talented women in the industry on M.I.S.S. Crew's Women Making History. For some readers it was an appropriately timed theme, considering that March is well, Women's History Month. But M.I.S.S. Crew founders Gabriella A. Davi-Khorasanee, who is also Creative Director and Designer of MAMA Clothing, along with her best friend and Freelance Stylist/Vintage Clothing Ambassador Liz Baca, know that a woman's work is never done and that the recognition of female faces, especially in the area of Streetwear, has been a long overdue process with more to come. The M.I.S.S. (MAMA's International Secret Society) Crew not only provides a forum for industry-related news, but a healthy exchange of ideas for women. Together, Gabriella and Liz prove that women working together shouldn't be a competiton but complement. And who says hard work shouldnt come with having fun?

 

 

Catz: How long have you been running M.I.S.S. Crew?

 

 

Gabriella: M.I.S.S. Crew is coming up on its second birthday, but it was a seed in my brain for about six months to a year before we got it off the ground.

 

 

Liz: Yeah, Gabriella had been scheming about it for sometime. When she approached me with the idea, I was down from the start. We worked on the site for about six months prior to launching to the world.

 

 

Catz: What made you decide to start a forum for women in the industry?

 

 

Gabriella: The industry is so male-dominated but there are definitely ladies making moves. I wanted to create a place where women could get together and help each other out, as well as give ladies the shine that they deserved but weren’t getting in male-dominated online media outlets.

 

 

Liz: What was so appealing to me was being able to create an environment for all the talented ladies we knew to showcase themselves. If the man wasn't giving the love then it was obvious that the ladies needed to take charge ... so we did.

 

 

Gabriella, Liz and M.I.S.S Crew's Beauty Editor Michelle

 

 

Catz: People often assume when women work together they can be catty. Being best friends, how do you two make it work?

 

 

Gabriella: The whole premise of M.I.S.S. is to shatter the stereotype of women being catty, so it would be silly for Liz and me to be that way with each other. Liz and I are usually on the same page about stuff, we get along so well and we know each other well enough that it’s really easy to work together. If anything, sometimes we have too much fun when we’re supposed to be focusing on a task, but you’d be surprised at the ideas that come from having fun.

 

 

Liz: I sometimes feel like it should be illegal, the fun we have while working on M.I.S.S. There are moments when I say to myself "I can't believe we get paid to do this," and then I come back to reality and remind myself we don't get paid -- BUT love it all the same. It's a very satisfying feeling to work in such harmony with someone on a creative level. As Gabriella mentioned, we work well together, we know each other's strong points, we know when to push and when to fall back. We also have a strong line of open communication. There is no time or extra energy for cattiness or attitudes ... those things wouldn't lead us to progress.

 

 

Catz: Being successful, especially in the industry, can keep you very busy. What other responsibilities do you have outside of M.I.S.S. Crew?

 

 

Gabriella: I am founder, designer and creative director of Mama, a contemporary streetwear brand for the ladies.

 

 

Liz: I own my own business, The Goods!, wholesaling vintage clothing to boutiques and designers. I also am a freelance wardrobe stylist ... a certified "Busy Lady."

 

 

Catz: Conventionally designed by guys for guys, streetwear was initially oblivious to the female consumer. Occasionally, the boys would put out a few shirts for the ladies but they were always the tinier versions of the same designs. Now there seems to be a boom of ladies making clothes for ladies. What is it about women designing streetwear for women that is more appealing?

 

 

Gabriella: I think women designers understand women more, as women themselves, [they] see things in a way that’s different from the way the guys do. Lots of women don’t want the same tee that their dude is wearing and appreciate wearing something that was made specifically for them. There’s also something empowering in supporting other women in their endeavors that is not present when the same graphic is slapped on a girls tee.

 

 

Catz: Do you ever find it challenging to design for women, knowing that our gender has two distinctly different modes of dress, dress-up vs. dress-down, whereas for guys that line is blurred? Which do you prefer?

 

 

Gabriella: The dress-up/dress-down dichotomy is not so much a challenge as it is a difference in the way that men and women dress. I design T-shirts that are inherently “dress-down." But since I’m a woman and I understand the dress-up/dress-down duality, I try to design some tees so that they can be dressed up. This comes across mostly in our photo shoots, which Liz styles. The point of the shoots we do is to show the ladies the endless possibilities of how to wear the t-shirt. Pairing your tee with jeans and kicks is obvious. Pairing your tee with sailor pants and a Chanel chain belt is not so obvious, but looks really fly and is a bit more “dressed-up." Before I got into the biz, I used to be more of a dress-up person, but now that my main concern is coming up with stuff for other people to wear I tend to dress-down more. But I do love to dress-up for fancy occasions.

 

 

Liz at work styling of of many MAMA shoots.

 

 

Catz: Sneakers or stilettos?

 

 

Gabriella: Depends on if I’m dressed-up or dressed-down! Ha ha! I live in kicks, but when it’s time to get dolled up and look like a lady I’m all about the stilettos.

 

 

Liz: There is a time and place for both. Sometimes I like to dress down my dress-up with kicks or dress up my down dress with fancy pants heels. But I am a sneaker, loafer, Birkenstock kinda gal on the daily.

 

 

Catz: Real designer or bootleg?

 

 

Gabriella: Real designer, but sometimes you come across a fake that is so obviously fake that it’s too funny and I have to have it. For example, when I was in Thailand for my honeymoon, I found a faux Stephen Sprouse LV bag. It was obviously fake because the lettering on the canvas was in pink -- a color that LV did not produce. But the best part was that the label said “Made In Trance” instead of “Made In France." I don’t really use the bag but it’s provided plenty of laughs.

 

 

Liz: The real deal is always the best, although the budget doesn't always allow it. I am a huge fan of vintage bootleg gear, that is my jam! The mo' faux the better, I'm not trying to pass off bootleg for the real deal.

 

 

Catz: Liz, you must have a vast collection of vintage clothing, which is your favorite piece?

 

 

Liz: That's like asking me to choose my favorite child! '60s Hermes Constance bag, Deadstock Run DMC x Adidas gear, Early Nike Pinwheel bag/gear, Deadstock '70s Gucci bags in original boxes with catalogs of the Gucci Cadillac, Richard Torry (worked with Vivienne Westwood back in the day) amazing '80s jacket craziness ... how do I choose!!?!?

 

 

Catz: Are there any particular vintage clothes or trends that people are into now?

 

 

Liz: Well, it seems that even though the warm weather is about to be here, the ladies still can't get enough pairs of boots!! And everyone should be rocking a pair of wood-heeled platform sandals this summer. As far as general direction goes, I think that with the current state of our economy, we are headed towards spending our dollars on investment pieces -- finer fabrics (silks, cashmeres) or designer items. With less money to spend, people are going to be more particular with what they buy.

 

 

From the MAMA Spring Collection, out now.

 

 

Catz: Describe what it is like living and working in San Francisco.

 

 

Gabriella: Living in San Francisco is easy living. Everything here is really mellow -- and coming from NY, where everything is always intense and extreme, I really appreciate the laid-back feel of San Francisco. It’s definitely not the center of the streetwear industry, but I’m in NY and LA a few times a year -- they’re not going anywhere, and things don’t change much there. In San Francisco, I can keep to myself and get to work in the kitchen without any distractions. Oh, and did I mention no snow?!

 

 

Liz: I actually live in Oakland but it's close to SF. It is super laid back in the Bay. Easy to get around (although our subway system isn't 24-hours) and way more space for a lot less money. I do spend half my time in NYC, so coming back to the Bay every time is like coming back to a little r 'n r. It certainly isn't as electric or fast-paced as the Big Apple but it is rich in culture and diversity and was an amazing place to grow up in.

 

 

Catz: Gabriella, what made you leave your career in law for the design and clothing industry?

 

 

Gabriella: I always had an interest in fashion but I never thought of it as a viable career option. I am a first generation kid -- neither of my parents went to college -- I was the first. I excelled academically and felt I had to become a professional to be financially independent. I was also really idealistic and wanted to save the world. Unfortunately, once I started practicing law I found that it wasn’t for me. I was working 60-70 hours a week and eating all of my meals at my desk. During my time practicing, I had started my first ladies’ line, Cybelle, with a friend as a side-gig. I really found that work to be fulfilling and decided to pursue my dream. Now, between Mama and M.I.S.S, I easily work the same number of hours, but it doesn’t faze me because this time I’m working on what I love.

 

 

Catz: Now that Mama clothing has expanded to include a men’s line, One Hit Wonder, and your husband Ali is also working with you, how has it affected your work and personal life?

 

 

Gabriella: Ali is actually still working on One Hit Wonder, but not as a clothing line. As the name implies, Ali started One Hit Wonder on a project basis. First he wanted to do some tees. That went well but then he got into photography and started to focus on that. Next week it could be something different. Ali is my best friend and my biggest supporter, and I respect his intelligence and talent, so working together is relatively easy. The hardest part is to know when to stop working. We just set aside time to just be a couple and discussing work is off-limits. It gets difficult sometimes, but in the end it’s all worth it.

 

 

Check out the amazing talent of these two ladies at www.mamaclothing.com and www.gottagetthegoods.com, and stay updated on all your fashion and beauty news at www.misscrew.com.