One On One With Mama

Founder Gabriella Davi-Khorasanee is more than just an adorable face with stellar vintage Chanel frames. She is a business woman…a heavy hitting entrepreneur to the tenth power! Mama Clothing has been internationally recognized for having a contemporary stance in women’s streetwear. Giving women the option to spruce up their closets…adding a little but of ‘hood’…and a little bit of glam into the mix. Gabriella knows what it is to go up against the ‘big boys’ in regards to collaborations. While working with Adidas, New Era, Montana Colors, Juicy Cosmetics, & Bijules NYC - Lady Khorasanee is still in hot pursuit of setting the trend….not following it! Gabriella was kind enough to squeeze TrashBagAesthetics a quick interview…so check it out!

More Of Mama After The Jump….

TrashBagAesthetics: Please state your ‘government’ for the record.

Mama: Gabriella Adriana Francesca Davi-Khorasanee…it’s a long one!

TrashBagAesthetics: Wow…yeah my mouth just hit the floor…Ha!

Mama: Say it fast 3 times. You can call me Gabriella or Gabs or “G”. . . No Gab or Gabby!

TrashBagAesthetics: Wow…very beautiful. I’ve seen a lot of photos of you and you are a definite cutie pie…what is your nationality? I am just curious as to know .

Mama: 100% Sicilian! And no, I’m not a mafia princess. I’d have way more Gucci, Chanel and LV if I were!

TrashBagAesthetics: I would be raiding your closet…thank you very much!

Mama: Yay!

TrashBagAesthetics: Do you normally get blank stares when you say your entire name? If I met you for the first time and heard all of that at once…I would have to really collect my thoughts.

Mama: Haha, I rarely use it all. I usually just go by Gabriella Davi-Khorasanee - which is still usually too long. when I do break it out i get a few laughs.

TrashBagAesthetics: It’s truly a beautiful name! So Gabriella…how did Mama Clothing come about?

Mama: I started Mama in 2004 and it grew out of the ashes of I line I had before that called Cybelle. With Cybelle, my partner and I were moving in different directions so I decided to start fresh on my own. I had started Cybelle in 2000 because I saw a giant hole in the market and felt the ladies didn’t have as many options as far as “streetwear” goes. The rest was history…

TrashBagAesthetics: I must say Lady G, you really do have a refined sense of style…very feminine & yet very hood aesthetic which a lot of girls love. Where does your inspiration come from for each season?

Mama: Thanks! You’re so sweet. The starting point for it all is definitely very street inspired - bamboos, nails did, kicks - basically clothing that ladies with a street aesthetic would be into. But I really wanted to keep things feminine, I didn’t want the stuff to be mistaken for something a boy would wear. I wanted to create things just for the ladies. Each season, I just go with whatever I’m into at the time - inspiration comes from everything, music, art, etc. The theme changes each season but I try to keep a consistent aesthetic so you know that you’re looking at a Mama piece. And there are things that I always love and are running themes like black lace, animal prints, and quilting. I also look at what’s going on in “high” fashion and try to give it a “street” twist.

TrashBagAesthetics: And it really works…seriously! For example your New Era fitted caps. Now that is MAJOR! How did you come up with the concept of using lace? And was it hard to project to work on? Or did it come natural?

Mama: Thank you. I was so excited to be the first women’s brand working with New Era on their women’s 5950 but at the same time the task was daunting. My main goal was to do something never done, while at the same time infusing my brand aesthetic. I also really went crazy and tried to customize as much as I could including the lining and under the brim. I wanted the whole hat to scream MAMA! The project wasn’t hard. Designing hats is actually one of my favorite aspects of the line.

TrashBagAesthetics: Now the streets have been talking about your Adidas ProMama sneaker - how did it that collaboration arise?

Mama: I was approached by Adidas to design a shoe for their REMIX project. I love high tops and I wanted to do something different so I chose a basketball model - the Pro Model, I dubbed it the “Pro Mama”.

TrashBagAesthetics: Seeing as though you have such longevity in the industry, what is your take on women’s streetwear today?

Mama: I think it’s an exciting time. you’re seeing a lot of new brands coming up and some of the brands that have been around longer are working on interesting projects like sneakers, new eras, etc.

TrashBagAesthetics: Would you ever consider doing a collaboration with another women’s street brand?

Mama: I’m not sure. It’s not that I have no love for the other ladies’ brands. I just think collaborations are overused. to me, they make sense when it’s with 2 companies that make different products but have overlapping customers, values or aesthetics. All the stuff I’ve done has been with companies that produce products that I didn’t, but that I could design like the Adidas, New Eras and jewelry I did with Bijules NYC. I don’t get excited about 2 t-shirt brands slapping their logos on a tee.

TrashBagAesthetics: I dig what you are saying. So far you have worked with some ‘heavy hitters’ in the industry [outside of the women's wear sector] - if given the chance to choose your own company to collaborate with…who would it be with and why?

Mama: Oooooh. There are so many! I love sneakers so I would love to do another pair - especially with Nike or retro brands like British Knights or LA Gear. I love handbags so I would love to work with a handbag company - too many to name! I did nail polish but would love to do more cosmetics. oh, and perfume! I would love to team up with Guerlain to produce a Mama fragrance!

TrashBagAesthetics: Now see that would be hot…a fragrance! While there are so many perfumes on the line…it really would be different to see something new brought to the table! Would you believe that I never owned a pair of La Gear sneakers? I used to beg my mother for a pair of those things! Seriously….begged! Weren’t those double laces sick back in the day? UGH…the agony of my childhood!

Mama: What? I used to wear them in jr. high, I have a nice little collection of vintage ones. it’s in the last issue of Sneaker Freaker magazine - they did a special issue on vintage and I have a spread in there.

TrashBagAesthetics: Where do you see Mama Clothing in the future?

Mama: I want to continue growing the brand, and especially the message - Always A Lady. I’m also putting a lot of energy into M.I.S.S. (misscrew.com) and want to see that continue to grow as well. There are so many negative portrayals of women in the media and I want to continue to keep things positive, and create a place where women help each other get up, rather than push each other down.

TrashBagAesthetics: What projects do you have in store for Mama Clothing?

Mama: I’m working on producing the Fall and Holiday collection which is called “Mi Vida Loca” it’s very chola inspired and we also have a new “Mi Vida Loca” nameplate coming out that I’m really excited about. I have to keep the rest under wraps.

If you are a Mama Clothing fanatic - be sure to hit up Gabriella’s newly revamped Mama website & eShop: Click Here

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