Meet Paris La Don | International Celebrity Fashion Designer & Stylist / Creative Director / international fashion journalist/ Model
We had the good fortune of connecting with Paris La Don and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Paris, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Taking Risk is truly the story of my life ! Ever Since I can remember I’ve been a daredevil, unafraid of the unknown and willing to explore the depths of the “what if’s.” I think a lot of my bravery came after I came out as a gay male to my family. Once I got their approval to really live in MY truth I knew that there was nothing else on this earth that could stop me from being my true self and going after the things most people are afraid of going after . Taking Risk in life and in my career choices comes natural to me. I can’t explain how or why but being this way, being free to make the decision to free fall into the sky and trust that i will land on my feet excites me and gives me life . I don’t ever want to regret not taking any chances . Of course you have to pick and choose and be smart about the decisions you make and the risk you take but once i prioritized the pros and cons of it all I can honestly say that the risk I’ve taken thus far truly catapulted me into a different stratosphere.
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In the words of NICKI MINAJ “ my life is a movie , but there’ll never be a sequel “ . I can truly relate to that statement because my life has truly been a movie , a beautiful one . I started dancing at the age of 16 and fell in love with the world of entertainment. I obtained 2 full scholarships to attend one of the best dance studios in Michigan, from there I appeared on local dance television show called “DANCE PARTY “ which was my way of getting comfortable being on screen. I eventually ended up traveling to Memphis Tennessee to audition for “SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE “ although I didn’t make it to the actual Vegas auditions I was still able to beat out 5000 people and have my audition televised once I met the judges. After this experience I wanted to focus more on building my resume so I auditioned for a chance to dance overseas and I eventually ended up getting the gig and was off to Shanghai China where my dance team and I would be representing America for the 2010 World Expo . Directly afterwards I was offered a 1 year contract to tour overseas. after negotiating the details of the contract i agreed .I later on offered RAZ B from the Hit Pop Group B2K an artist contract to star on his own Asian Tour . t was all a major risk but that 1 year contract eventually turned into 8 incredible years of my life .But not just in dance .while it will always be my first love, I realized that I was finally in a space to fully explore and express all of my creativity which what’s designing.While fashion isn’t the easiest industry to break into ,I am so fortunate to have created a brand that would be able to speak for me and open doors I could’ve only dreamed . HOUSEOFLADON; An interactive fashion brand that fits your every day mood . A affordable urban luxury brand birthed in a far away city in China called DALIAN. The setting alone I feel is what makes my brand stand out over others , people learning the origin of the brand and the success it has gotten in Asia before transitioning into the American market and having success here . I always say “if you can survive in China , you can make it anywhere “ and while this is true the reality sinks in that with going into the American fashion business you won’t be the ONLY “Pink Elephant In The Room “ so finding different ways to market HOUSEOFLADON to my American audience at first was a struggle but I’m thankful to have found my lane and with the previous success and also being a fashion contributor for VOGUE china , the quality of the brand as a whole go better . Houseofladon is an umbrella of things but the fashion itself is such a beautiful love story connecting the American rebel fashion era with the asian culture . It’s different it’s bold just like me . These qualities alone set the brand aside from others . The fact that it’s made specifically for the person who buys it . My collections have all told a specific story and created different moods because I wanted it to spark particular emotions in our customers for that era . There’s so many things I’ve learned along the way but to keep it on the surface of things if one thing I learned that sticks out the most is that nothing last forever. Fashion, people and time are forever changing and with that you have to almost be like a chameleon and adapt to the new age of all things fashion! Never limit yourself and never let others try to keep you in a box because they don’t know who they are and are envious of your light. I am Now an American Vogue Magazine Contributor, I’m currently working with Michigan Fashion Week #MFW and will be styling with some of the most incredible designers in the Midwest. A new collection is definitely in the works as well .
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Well I have to say most of my friends are a little on the “bad and boujee” side so when they come around it HAS to be lit ! And we love to eat so the fist stop would be Katana LA fine dining good vibes is a must plus the drinks are amazing. I’m all about dim settings Japanese cuisine with a hint of glam And Then there’s the Beach Santa Monica is my happy place so we would definitely be out by the water on a good day . Then there’s “No Name “ Bar which I love and is one of those “iykyk” kind of places because if you’re not from LA you’re not gonna find it (lol) . Hopefully there’s a concert going that we’d wanna see because though clubs are cool, concerts are where the real experiences happen ! The Grove is also a wonderful place to get lost in it’s truly a joy being in such an environment where food and love exist (lol) . 
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I most definitely wouldn’t be where I am in life if it wasn’t for my Mother ! Speaking of taking risk , my mother sacrificed a lot of her time to make sure that I followed through with my dreams of being in the fashion and entertainment industry even though she didn’t know where that would eventually lead me . She’s believed in my gifts and made a way for me to use them in the most positive ways . When I was younger my mother would take me to all of my dance practices after school and would sit in the car with my little brother for hours waiting on me . If I didn’t have that we most definitely wouldn’t be here having this conversation now . I would also like to shoutout the very individuals who doubted me and who made it their effort to discourage me by attempting to trick me out of following my dreams because theirs didn’t work for them . For example, When I first started dancing Someone I trusted and admired once told me that I was a “great entertainer “ but I wouldn’t go far . That hurt me like hell because this was someone who was in a position to motivate and to help artist like myself gain the industry knowledge and grow but that statement was the complete opposite. Maybe that was his way of lighting a fire in me , if that’s the case , I’m on fire now and it’ll never let up until the day I die . So I Thank him for that.
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Image Credits
Photography by : Mr. Dee and Getty Images @RemyMa wearing : HOUSEOFLADON Location:i(Los Angeles) Billboard Pre-Grammy Mastercard Summit Red Carpet . @Aizhan_Raimbekova wearing : HOUSEOFLADON BLACK WIDOW REVERS-ABLE GOWN . Location: (Beijing, China ) “Mercedes Benz Fashion Week” @InasX wearing : AFFFAiR Styled by : HOUSEOFLADON Location: GRAMMYS RED CARPET
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