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

Hi Emily, how do you think about risk?
What’s life without risk? You either live with risk or regret. I think you have to risk it for the biscuit or come to terms with staying where you are/ staying stagnant (which isn’t a bad thing per se). Just sometimes you have to jump blindly, have faith and do everything you can to push towards your goal. Personally, I think the only reason I have gotten anywhere, in general, is from taking risks and going for things that have no guarantees. Sometimes they have worked out and other times not so much but I never regret trying. It’s risky to pursue Denem Jeans but I would regret it much more had I never tried.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I create one of a kind denim pieces that have an artisanal textile spin through adding textures, hand drawn /dremeled embellishments, hand painting etc.. each piece being hand crafted with intention from start to finish.

Starting off working as an assistant in various different jobs in the fashion industry (design, operations, quality control, textile/color work etc.) I think really helped me be in a position to listen, take in information and pick up a range of skills. Being able to work under people you admire and being there to support them is a really incredible learning opportunity that I think gets overlooked when people want to jump ahead. I’m able to pursue this and have gotten to where I am because of friends, family and fellow creatives that have donated their supplies, time and their workspaces which really helped me get started.

I’ve realized that no one is going to push you or motivate you everyday to keep going you have to be disciplined when you lack motivation or inspiration. Which for a creative, who thrives on sparks of inspiration, can be extremely challenging but its the only way to keep going. It is a slow burn and I’m really enjoying the process – just learning as I go and taking one day at a time.

I would hope that anyone that comes across my work sees the quality and heart that’s put into every piece.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Grab a coffee and walk along the strand of the beach cities in the South Bay. Sip on a guava smoothie from Portos & grab a slice of pizza from Prime down the street.
Walk through Grand Central Market or the downtown Flower District.
Street Tacos, outdoor movies, go for a drive. along the cliffs.
Strawberry donuts from Donut Man!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My friend, Alex Andronescu aka Alex of Arabia is a really talented pattern maker, sample maker, designer, etc., and is definitely one of the reasons I am able to pursue Denem. He’s opened up his workspace to me and taught me everything I know about jean construction. I’ve worked with him for years developing the patterns and samples we use to make jeans today!

Website: https://denemjeans.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denem/

Image Credits
Alexandra Sapp, Alex Padilla

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.