We had the good fortune of connecting with Mia Fong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mia, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind Proven LA’s (formerly MadeByMia) success is organization and planning. I always take the time to plan every aspect of every drop meticulously. I begin by choosing a release date for my new collection and work backwards from there in order to adequately plan photoshoots, photo editing days, marketing rollout, and actual production. I set dates for when I want designs to be done, models selected, and garments to be purchased. This planning ensures for a more efficient drop day – when that day arrives I can easily pack and prepare orders to be shipped out. Having a concrete plan also serves to motivate me and provides structure.

When I first started my business, I was unorganized and thus drop days were often hectic and full of small errors. I knew I needed to make a change and I decided to plan for a drop weeks in advance and write out a calendar. After doing this, I instantly felt better and more prepared and would do a little each day so my work did not accumulate. and becoming overwhelming. As Nipsey Hussle said, “instead of building a brick wall, lay a brick everyday. Eventually you’ll look up and you’ll have a brick wall.” For me, this quote helped me understand that large amounts of progress are only possible by taking small steps in the right direction. Trying to accomplish a large goal like growing a clothing brand exponentially has been a challenge, but careful organization and planning has helped me stay motivated and continue to strive for success.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Proven LA, formerly MadeByMia, is a Los Angeles based streetwear brand that creates clean, creative, and essential clothing. We are also the creator of the iconic dice hoodie which features real playing dice on the strings. Our graphic designs are inspired by the city of Los Angeles and we aim to always infuse our designs with both quality and creativity.

Getting to where we are today has not only been an easy path. For example, we just rebranded after over a year of establishing ourselves as MadeByMia. Changing the brand and overhauling our old business habits has been challenging as was creating a new brand aesthetic that still centered around our previous values and appealed to target audience. However, change is a necessary factor for growth, and Proven’s debut collection was extremely successful. In order to rebrand, we took a head-on and strategic approach. We planned and organized the debut drop down to the T in order to make this a seamless transition for both the creator and the consumer. By facing the challenge head-on, staying organized, and planning our rebrand, Proven was able to thrive and replace MadeByMia.

Thank you for all the support thus far and we can’t wait to show you what we have planned for 2022. Stay tuned and remember – you’ve already Proven yourself.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
“Let’s go shopping” is the first thing that I would say to friend visiting from out of town. First, we would go to Century City Mall to shop, people watch, and enjoy a nice lunch at Javier’s. After lunch, it’s time for jewelry shopping. For me, that’s going to Slauson swap meet to visit K Jewelry (booth P-20). I love K Jewelry and am never disappointed with their selection. We would ooh and aah over the various rings, bracelets, and Rolex chains (my personal favorite). After a quick negotiation, we would soon walk out of Slauson and head to our next destination – Melrose. I always enjoy going to Melrose, especially on the weekends when it’s busy. Here we could window shop and observe some of the latest fashions and trends.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would to dedicate my shoutout to my mom. I love you!

Website: https://www.provenla.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/proven.la/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mia-fong/

Image Credits
Donavan Robinson (@developeddon), Brian (@bsflickz)

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutLA is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.