She’s in her comfort zone. Alyssa Wasko is the founder of DONNI, an elevated loungewear brand featuring the kind of clothes you can relax in all morning but also wear to Sunday brunch. Here, the Denver-turned-LA-girl shares how she turned something tragic into something beautiful, where she finds inspiration, and what it was like working at Chanel.

You worked at Chanel for years as a visual image consultant. What was that like?
I started interning at their visual merchandising department in college, and they hired me as a full-time consultant when I graduated. Being in the image and visual team meant I had a lot of all-nighters, since my responsibilities involved event installations, fashion shows, and other things you had to organize at all hours of the night. It was crazy. There were times when I had been at work for 36 hours and people were like, “Didn’t you wear that yesterday?” So it wasn’t your typical luxury fashion job, but I learned so much from it and it was an invaluable experience.

So what’s the story behind DONNI?
I started the brand a couple of months after my dad passed away. I just wanted to be distracted, so I channeled my grief into creativity and made these scarves that people really liked. My dad’s name was Donald but everyone called him Donni, so that’s where the name came from. It was both a coping mechanism and a tribute. And although I had 0 intention of it turning into anything, here we are 12 years later.

How did you evolve from scarves to elevated loungewear?
We only sold scarves for the first 7 years of our business. We used to make tutorials on how to style them as tube tops, off-the-shoulder tops, skirts, etc. But it takes a very savvy and patient customer to be able to execute those things, so we wanted to make a top that looked like a scarf, but that you don’t have to twist, tie, pin, or do all these things with. After we made that top, we had a 26-piece, ready-to-wear collection a month later, and that’s what we’ve been known for ever since.

Where do you get inspo for your products?
It’s a combination of watching old movies and shows, looking at houses and interior spaces, and feeling like there’s something in the market you want but can’t find.

Do you think comfort is becoming a bigger priority in fashion?
Absolutely. The pandemic really showed people how important comfort is, and it’s a constant we’ll continue to see in fashion moving forward. People wanted to be comfy but also feel good at home, which is why our brand resonated with them. And even though they’re excited and eager to get out now, they’re still not willing to compromise comfort.

What makes DONNI different from other loungewear brands?
Definitely our elevated details. They can be super small, but they make a big impact, whether it’s vintage tortoise buttons, freshwater pearl zipper pulls, or the stitching. We want our items to feel special but also be the things you gravitate towards and wear multiple times a week.