Donni's Alyssa Wasko: 'We built a business on one of the smallest product categories'

When Alyssa Wasko was in college, she never thought she'd start a fashion brand. Fast-forward 13-years later, and Donni has become well-known for its elevated basics.

In 2009, Wasko began making scarves to cope with the death of her father, Donald, for whom her company is named. Her college friends started placing orders and, eventually, she was selling scarves as a side gig while working at Chanel as a visual merchandiser.

On the latest episode of the Glossy Podcast, Wasko said her years at Chanel prepared her well for her current role and that her Chanel co-workers were supportive of her side hustle. She also recalled hat, while getting her company off the ground, she sold scarves on Etsy and hosted trunk shows throughout the year. Now, Donni is sold in over 115 stores worldwide including Saks, Revolve, Holt Renfrew and Free People. Donni also sells direct-to-consumer through its brand website. 

Drawing on its core characteristics of comfort and ease, Donni has since expanded from selling neck warmers and sarongs to offering a full fashion line. Along with women's clothing, it includes hair accessories and jewelry. To date, Donni has been entirely self-funded, and organic growth is what has sustained the brand throughout its 13 years, Wasko said. Recently, the brand began to focus more on the personal stories surrounding its products. 

"Our team is speaking more on Instagram Lives and in videos for our retailers and e-commerce customers. [We're aiming to] speak to more of the product and [provide] insight into our brand and our processes," said Wasko.