Since I was a kid, I dreamed of designing clothes and having my own brand. At five, I would grab the bedsheets and draped them around myself, pretending to create a new dress. By eleven, I was sketching my first designs and cutting out pictures from magazines to reference the fabric and color for each sketch. When I was 16 and faced with deciding what degree to pursue, I considered attending fashion school. However, I got scared of the uncertainty of pursuing a career in fashion and opted eventually for a business degree.
Despite renouncing studying fashion design, I still wanted to be surrounded by fashion. By 19 years old, I was working as a visual merchandiser for Zara; it was my dream job at the time. I didn't know it then, but seeing firsthand the operations of a fast fashion brand would eventually lead me to my slow fashion journey.
After spending the first half of my 20s studying, getting my bachelor's and master's degrees, and working to build a career in technology, I realized something was missing. I was working on what I was supposed to do, but it wasn't my dream of designing clothes and building my brand. This realization, my discontent with fast fashion, and not finding the clothes I wanted from sustainable fashion brands inspired me to start my brand.
Gabriela Michele is a slow fashion brand with a clear mission of thoughtfully designing and manufacturing clothes ethically and sustainably. I spent five years working on developing my first designs, learning everything about design, developing and launching a brand, figuring things out, making mistakes, and learning from them. It has been the most challenging yet fulfilling work.
My intention with every dress is that you look and feel beautiful, confident, and comfortable in it. I design each piece intentionally to have a flattering silhouette for any size and body type. Gabriela Michele offers timeless feminine dresses made with sustainable fabrics and ethically manufactured in Los Angeles.
