Smashing Darling Blog

Jules from Yosifa-Penina was kind enough to sit down and let us know a little more about her. If you aren’t familiar with her fun products, you can visit her store by clicking here:

How did you end up in the fashion industry?
Majoring in industrial design opened up a lot of different options for me. I started out designing custom furniture, then moved into costume jewelry, and then home accessories and kitchenware products. It was when I started to design high-end leather bags for BOSCA that I became familiar with the “fashion” end of industrial design. Since I love accessories and personal ornamentation, I decided to pursue these kinds of products when I started my own business about two years ago.


Where did you go to school and what did you study?
I went to the Rhode Island School of Design (ID ‘1994) and majored in Industrial Design.

What was your first job in the industry?
Designing custom furniture for the interior design company Parisi.

What inspires your designs?

I am inspired by new materials, manufacturing processes, fine art, historical textile patterns, kaleidoscopes, my computer aided pattern program, fashion magazines, and my Pantone books.

What is your design process?
I sketch a lot to get ideas to flow. Then I draw the ideas using various CAD programs on my Mac. From there I decide which products to invest in by showing the drawings to people whom I consider my target customers. I then send the drawings to the factory to produce the metal molds. These molds are milled directly from my electronic drawing files. The products are then cast in the molds, cured and shipped to my warehouse. From there, I hire a photographer and graphic designer to create the marketing materials like my catalog tear sheets and web sites.

Describe your philosophy behind your designs?
I aim to create products that are unique, colorful, whimsical, and comfortable to wear/use.

What does your average day entail?
An average day…well, it begins at 6:30am when I am up getting ready for my day-job as a design director for a kitchen house-wares and food packaging company. When I get home around 6pm my day for Yosifa actually starts. I usually work until about midnight on everything from design, to factory communication, to website updates and photography re-touching. Besides that, I fill all of my own orders, do my books, and create sample packages for potential customers and representatives. I am hoping that eventually my night job will turn into my day job!

If you knew then (before you started your business) what you know now,
what would you do differently?
I am not sure…I have only been marketing my work for a year, and am still figuring out the answer to this question. I think I would better be able to answer it in about 6 months after I go to my first major trade show this summer and see what the response is.

In your opinion what is the best and worst current fashion trend?
Hmm. I’m not all that up on trends to tell you the truth…however, I was somewhat turned off by the Prada turban head-wrap accessory. Next thing you know yamakas will be on the runway!

I do like the big roomy bags in un-conventional shapes I have been seeing. There is great creativity in construction and manufacturing I see in bags by Tods, Lanvin, Chloé, Marni, YSL….beautiful details in hardware and craft.

Who is your greatest influence and why?
My greatest influence are my friends (who are all artists, architects and dancers). They give me a perspective I don’t see, and this helps me to develop my work.

What do you think the hardest aspect of your industry is?
Marketing, and finding the right reps.

Do you have any events you are getting ready for in the near future?
The CA Gift show at the Los Angeles Convention Center July 20-23 and my first trunk show at Bee’s Wing Arts in Santa Barbara, CA

What’s next for your line?
Sunglass cases, and luggage tags.