Leo Damian of Nabrini: 5 Things You Need To Know To Create A Very Successful Lifestyle Brand

Understand what passion resides deep inside you, and how that passion will manifest itself into your story. I had the good fortune of being able to live out many amazing experiences that has helped shape my view of the world and develop an understanding of the things really felt passionate about.

As a part of our series called “5 Things You Need To Know To Create A Very Successful Lifestyle Brand”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Leo Damian.

Leo Damian started designing couture fashion skirts and putting on fashion shows in 2007. In collaboration with a renowned textile engineer, he developed a combed, long-strand, ring-spun cotton material of superior softness and created the Nabrini® collection of casuals and towels all cut and sewn in Los Angeles. A man of many talents, Leo was a model turned actor from the 1980s to the 1990s and eventually became a successful entrepreneur.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a bit about your “childhood backstory”?

I was born in New York to Italian immigrants. My mother was a fashion designer, and my father was in the Heating and Air Conditioning business. I traveled back and forth to Italy very often to be with relatives, eventually living in Rome for over a year in my early 20's.

Can you tell us the story of what led you to this particular career path?

In my twenties I was a model and actor living in Rome. One fortunate afternoon I wore that little jacket to an audition for a modeling job. I ended up getting the job. It was for a very famous company, and it ended up being a very large job giving me work for many months. That little jacket brought me lots of luck. From that job I met a man who was an important figure in the film studios in Rome. He helped me get auditions for many small acting jobs. I got a job in the lead role of a romance magazine. It was a picture style story in a magazine and I was the lead character. Between my job as a model for that famous brand and acting in the romance magazine, I built quite a following in Italy and beyond. I could travel to Spain, Germany, Italy, Switzerland and was recognized for my work. The job gave me access to very beautiful clothing. Often the production company gave me pieces to wear on my time off. I found myself studying these garment creations, and I slowly built my repertoire of design.

More and more in those years, I made note of fashion designs that struck a cord deep inside me, and drew my ideas on paper. I knew that someday they would help me build my own brand inspired by my early years. I was fortunate enough to be able to afford to travel all over Italy and I was particularly inspired by the cities by the sea. Genoa, Pisa, Naples, Sicily…all had beautiful marinas with gorgeous ships, beautiful architecture, incredible food, and of course wonderful fashion. I’ve always had a very special part of me that was attracted to the sea, and when I put my love of the sea together with my love of fashion, something clicked.

Years later this inspiration brought me to create Nabrini. Many memories help me design my next garment. Just like the ropes on a sailboat in one of the many marinas, each stitch in my clothing puts together a story. A story I hope you feel when you wear Nabrini.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

Occasionally I would have a small fashion show in a Los Angeles area art center. I decided to make a rope skirt for the show. Only problem was that the rope I chose was a bit too thick and the skirt ended up too heavy. None of the models could wear it and walk around! Lesson learned: Choose your fabric wisely!

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

I loved the Godfather series. The rich details in terms of the culture and the aesthetic reminded me so much of my life in Italy, and my relatives (the fashion and food part!). My mother also loved the movie and we watched it together several times. It was a shared experience I have always cherished.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

“Enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think” A quote from Socrates. I have this quote along with several others stitched into the label in my hoodies. I see the years pass quickly. I look back at the years I had with my father. Only to wish I had taken the time to enjoy him even more. I’m fortunate to still have my mother, and I enjoy spending time with her in my design studio.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. For the benefit of our readers, let’s define our terms. How do you define a Lifestyle Brand? How is a Lifestyle Brand different from a normal, typical brand?

You can wear a hoodie to keep you warm. Most hoodies will do a good job of taking away the chill. You can wear a dress to stand out in the crowd. Find something daring or flashy and you will stand out. You can dry yourself from the shower in many types of fabric. Just rub your skin with a towel, and off comes the water. These all do the job. Much of the fashion in the world does just that. It does the job.

But, I believe that garments from great lifestyle brands are vehicles that do a lot more than just get the job done. They also tell a story. When you encounter a lifestyle brand with a story that makes you feel something inside as well as outside, you transcend the normal clothing experience. I love the sea. I love the colors, the scent, it makes me feel free to soar. I feel Nabrini garments tell that story. Maybe with a stitch, or a color combination or in the cut. I feel the inspiration of the sea in every piece. I feel that lifestyle. And when I feel what inspires me, I feel powerful and at peace.

What are the benefits of creating a lifestyle brand?

Every garment I design further connects me to my core inspiration. That process of creativity is enriching and rewarding in ways that can be difficut to articulate. It’s not a job, it’s my life. And if I can do something in my life that gives me deep reward, I am fortunate.

In your opinion, what is an example of a company that has done a fantastic job building a believable and beloved Lifestyle Brand? What specifically impresses you? What can one do to replicate that?

So many…. but one that stands out is Gucci. The story, the family, the style, bringing beautiful fashion to the world for generations and generations to come. From the original bags and equestrian wear to Tom Ford’s thong underwear, you feel the story of the family.

Can you share your ideas about how to create a lifestyle brand that people really love and are ‘crazy about’?

I believe one has to be honest with expressing one’s passion. I have a passion for the sea, to live near the water. I love being on a ship, and the feeling of exploration it gives me. I want that inspiration to be communicated in my designs. When you are true to your passion, and it rings with the public, you don’t have to try hard to see the love of the product.

What are the common mistakes you have seen people make when they start a lifestyle brand? What can be done to avoid those errors?

I feel if one tries to build a lifestyle brand based only on fulfilling a perceived public demand, then the brand will only survive temporarily. I believe the public will feel the business in the brand without the passion in the brand. I believe one should build what one loves, and let that love build the brand.

Let’s imagine that someone reading this interview has an idea for a lifestyle brand that they would like to develop. What are the first few steps that you would recommend that they take?

1) Understand how one’s own deep passion will connect to their fashion. Understand the story your passion tells. 2) Get a three ring binder with some three hole paper. Draw your fashion ideas. You don’t need to be able to draw well, just do your best to show details. Draw your passion in the details of your designs. 3) Walk the streets of fabrics vendors. Purchase some pieces of fabric that connect to your story and your drawings. 4) Learn to sew. Get an inexpensive sewing machine and sew. Maybe take a sewing class. Sew your creations. You may not be able to create that perfect piece. But your hands will touch the fabric and bring your story to life.

Ok. Thank you for all that. Here is the main question of our discussion. What are your “5 Things You Need To Know To Create A Very Successful Lifestyle Brand” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1) Understand what passion resides deep inside you, and how that passion will manifest itself into your story. I had the good fortune of being able to live out many amazing experiences that has helped shape my view of the world and develop an understanding of the things really felt passionate about.

2) Work in every part of the fashion business. A) Design/Draw — I drew out fashion ideas all my life B) Sewing — I purchased a single needle machine and an overlock machine, and I sewed many pieces. I took sewing classes. I watched my mother sew. C) Understand the engineering of fabric- I was fortunate to befriend a man who had a lifetime of experience as a fabric engineer and convertor. He taught me a lot about knitting, weaving, dye, cutting, yarns, and much more. C) I traveled much of the world, and studied the fashion I encountered.

3) Create your first small collection. Get assistance in making samples if you can’t sew them yourself. Whatever it takes you need to get your work out there for it to be seen.

4) Know where to set up a showroom. Be in a place where you are near other fashion brands. I think it is really helpful to be among other creative people who’s own passions can help energize and inspire you to be better and to take chances.

5) Surround yourself with people who believe in you, and can help you move forward. No one accomplishes something by themselves. It’s just as important to know what you are good at and what you are not. With the right team there is nothing you can’t do.

Super. We are nearly done. Here are our final questions. You are an inspiration to a great many people. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

More than ever I believe in supporting your community. So I’d like to inspire a movement for more manufacturing and fashion production to be done locally. It’s also good for the environment. I would also love for fashion to really return to natural fabrics that don’t cause damage to our enviornment.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.

Elon Musk. I want to dress us for Mars. Of all the places that needs the passion for the sea…..it’s out there

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.