Today we’d like to introduce you to Dominick and Kalonni Daly.
Hi Dominick and Kalonni, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Our story begins with two cousins. One is a young and aspiring graphic design artist, and the other is a young and aspiring entrepreneur growing up with a vision to always create a family-owned clothing brand. That vision came to fruition in 2017 when the cousins decided to stop dreaming and start working. Those cousins grew up to be Dominick and Kalonni Daly and we co-founded LAHÉRA Clothing. It started with one phone call, Kalonni to Dominick, pretty much saying “It’s time to stop talking and start working” so for 2 years we strategized, came up with designs, researched the market, and in 2019 we launched our first clothing collection.
Since then, we have come out with multiple collections, some including “The Reflective Collection,” which proved that clothing can look great both day and night, and “The Diadem (Crown) Collection,” which proved that what you put on your head is just as powerful as what you put on your body, and our most recent collection “The Signature Collection” which is set to prove that a normal tracksuit can be fresh. modern, and perfect for everyday wear. Since launching in 2019 our clothing has been on numerous celebrities and professional athletes and has been purchased by people in 31 out of the 50 States. We would be nothing without our family, friends, and supporters over the years.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a perfect road but the struggles we faced we believe are common amongst all entrepreneurs in this space. The first struggle we encountered was the selection of the name. It was the first big decision that we had to make together as business partners and we wanted to make sure we got it right. It took us 3 weeks to decide on a name and when we did we knew it was the one.
The name “LAHÉRA” means family, harmony, protection, royalty, and vision. It is derived from the Greek Goddess “héra” and Greek symbols are shown throughout many of our designs. The next obstacle we faced was manufacturing difficulties. We wanted to ensure that when we came to market we had quality fabrics that will last for years so we spent a lot of money ensuring our fabrics were just that. We ordered sample after sample from different manufacturers often becoming frustrated with the quality that we received so we decided to take matters into our own hands and create the clothing ourselves. We purchased all of the necessary machines and materials needed in order to self-manufacture our products and continue to self-manufacture many of our pieces today. The most recent struggle we face is social media marketing.
We both are very reserved and have very “behind the scene” type personalities, so having to master social media and put ourselves in the limelight has come with its challenges. It has come with a lot of trial and error but has given us the opportunity to really share our story, allow for our supporters and future customers to truly understand who we are and although it requires a level of vulnerability we have to master it in order for our business to scale.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
LAHÉRA is an urban streetwear brand made up of clean simplistic designs on high-quality fabric. We specialize in unisex clothing that is comfortable but stylish. We have been in business for almost 4 years and offer a wide variety of shirts, pants, shorts, hats, beanies, tracksuits, sweatsuits, and crewnecks, and will soon be releasing accessories such as socks, slides, and bags.
What sets us apart from our competitors is our attention to detail and the meaning of the brand. From the symbols we put on our clothing, to the slogan, to the people we sponsor, it all is a representation of the name “LAHERA.” The name LAHÉRA means Family, Harmony, Protection, Royalty and Vision and our slogan is “Live life like Godz” paying homage to the Greek Goddess “Héra” that the company is named after. We have two aspects of our business: LAHÉRA Clothing and LAHÉRA Sport. LAHÉRA Clothing is the everyday retail side that the majority of our customers are familiar with. LAHÉRA Sport is our athletic wear side where we sponsor semi-professional and professional athletes. We currently sponsor 1 professional boxer, Shakell Daly (brother and cousin to co-founders Dominick and Kalonni Daly), and will continue to sponsor more as we grow.
LAHÉRA has come a long way over the years and we are most proud to have really grown the support of our community. Being that we are a DMV-based brand it can be challenging having to compete with the other great clothing brands in the area but we appreciate the support that has been given and will continue to make our mark in the community every day.
How do you define success?
There are many ways that we define success within our business but ultimately it comes down to the question of “Do you still love it?” and if that question year after year through trial and tribulation is still “yes” then we are successful. We sought to create a family-owned business, to create generational wealth, and to be able to provide for our families however, if we don’t love what we do and are not enjoying the ups and the downs is it worth it?
We define success as happiness. Now don’t misinterpret that as us not wanting to meet our goals every month because no one is happy when they are losing money. However, if we do lose money but was able to learn, re-strategize and grow from it all while enjoying the process then we are successful.
Pricing:
- Shirts: $30-$60
- Hats: $30-$50
- Pants: $70-$150
- Shorts: $45-$70
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lahera.shop
- Instagram: @laheraclothing
- Facebook: @laheraclothing
