From Dream to Design: The Making of Domaine with Founder Jess Hanassab
For Domaine founder Jess Hanassab, it all started with a top she imagined in a dream. This dream has since taken shape as Domaine—a thoughtfully emerging clothing brand that sits at the intersection of fresh excitement and timeless style. The brand is quickly defining itself as a destination for cool girl staples that feel discovered, not dictated.
In an era where fashion trends move at a relentless pace and personal style can feel impossible to find, Domaine offers a deliberate counterpoint. Its pieces resist the urgency of trend culture, instead embracing a sense of longevity. Domaine pieces are meant to be lived in, revisited, and reinterpreted over time. The result is clothing that feels both current and enduring, offering a balance that’s often elusive in today’s fashion market.
Hanassab, an LMU senior, approaches her brand with a clear, confident vision that gives Domaine a sense of purpose and polish well ahead of its time. In conversation with Strike LA writer Andrea Arguello, Hanassab reflects on building Domaine from a single top into a full brand with finished designs, a website, and real sales. Along the way, Hanassab has built a strong foundation for the brand and pursued her goal of making fashion feel exciting again.
Photo Captured by Bella Marguerite for Domaine
AA: What inspired you to start your brand, Domaine?
JH: Honestly, at first, I didn't set out to start a brand. I just had this strong feeling that I needed to make this specific item that I wanted to wear. I had a dream about this top and knew exactly how I wanted it to look and feel, so I started sourcing the denim and the buttons. I made it, showed it to people, and everyone kept saying they needed one too. My friends were so supportive, which made me believe I could turn this into something bigger.
Later on while studying abroad in Italy, I took a fashion marketing course and spoke with a professor who really encouraged me to go for it. This was the first time I genuinely believed I could design a line. When I got back, I dove into research, learned about production, and got all my ducks in a row. That’s when Domaine became real.
The top that started it all for Domaine: The SanctumVest designed by Jess Hanassab
Photo Captured by Bella Marguerite for Domaine
AA: Have you always had an interest in fashion and entrepreneurship, or did that passion develop over time?
JH: It definitely developed over time. Like everyone, I grew into my sense of style and went through some pretty horrific phases, but I always loved fashion in an instinctive way. I loved thrifting, repurposing, upcycling, sourcing the perfect piece, stealing clothes from friends, my sister, and my mom, and pulling inspiration from characters, movies, and television. I was always fascinated by how much the way you dress can change how you’re perceived. Fashion truly is its own social economy.
The entrepreneurial side came much later. When I decided to go for it, I was starting from ground zero without a long-term business plan or a background in fashion design. I just knew it made me happy, and that nothing was stopping me from trying–so I went for it.
AA: How long has Domaine been in the making, from the initial idea to where it is now?
JH: I made the Sanctum Vest in fall 2024 just for myself, and that was really the beginning. It’s been my baby ever since, and everything has grown slowly and organically, which feels important to me as I want to grow with Domaine, not rush it.
I decided Domaine did not need a big launch but rather just a decision to put it out into the world and keep going. It’s been about a year or so now. Since then, I’ve finished production, filed for a trademark, built the website, conducted photo shoots, and started making sales with the help of a small team consisting mostly of my friends. It’s been slow, but it’s allowed me to stay in control and put out content and pieces that feel true to me and my vision.
Photo Captured by Emily Lorenger for Domaine
AA: Where do you typically draw your fashion inspiration from?
JH: A lot of my inspiration comes from my life and the people in it—not just what they wear, but what I can picture them looking really good in. I think about what feels missing from our wardrobes, what feels oversaturated in the women’s fashion market, and what stands out as timeless. I seek out to make pieces that feel unique and that people don’t have but need. I also think about what feels exciting to wear on a night out, to work, to frolic. I believe clothing should be exciting, but shopping hasn’t felt that way lately, since everything looks so similar. I’m not reinventing the wheel, but I’m inspired by the idea of making clothing exciting again for people my age and in my market.
AA: Can you walk us through your design and creation process, from the initial sketch to the final piece?
JH: My design and creation process is very iterative.With the Sanctum Vest, it started with a dream, but really with the silhouette of a naval jacket that I wanted to reconfigure into something more edgy and a little sexy. I kept elements like the structure and buttons, but translated it into denim so it felt tougher and more wearable in my own way.
With other designs in progress, it’s been a lot of trial and error, especially with practicality. I start by searching exactly what I’m imagining, then study the composition of different garments—buttons, ties, zippers, how I want to wear it, put it on, and how it moves. From there, I look into fabrics, colors, and draw it out. I'm constantly adjusting proportions, closures, and other small details until it feels right. But my goal is always for the final piece to feel as intentional as it did in my head.
AA: How has your experience at LMU, or mentorship from LMU professors and peers, influenced the process of starting your own brand?
JH: LMU has been pivotal in this experience. I’ve been surrounded by people building their own businesses and creating their own art, and I’ve met so many collaborators—friends in marketing, models, photographers, and other creatives who are excited to be part of something and break into fashion. That support has been incredibly encouraging and honestly invaluable.
AA: What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced while building Domaine, and what have been the most rewarding moments so far?
JH: One of the biggest challenges has been translating a very specific vision in my head into something real, tangible, and wearable. It’s one thing to imagine a piece exactly how you want it to look and feel, and another to make that work in real life. It never is, and you’re constantly forced to make practical decisions: what fabric is realistic, what details are too expensive, what construction methods are doable. Which is definitely a challenge for me as my instincts feel more creative and idealistic. Sometimes you have to accept that what looks best in your head isn’t what makes the most sense in production, so learning to compromise without losing the essence of the piece is a huge part of the process and the learning curve.
It’s also been challenging to build something from the ground up without really knowing what I’m doing. A lot of it has been learning as I go by asking questions, researching, making mistakes, and figuring things out, all while being a student.
Despite all these challenges, the most rewarding part is seeing these pieces exist outside of my head. When I see something on someone and it looks amazing, feels natural, and like it already belongs to them that feeling truly is unmatched. It’s also incredibly rewarding to look back and see the progress. Reflecting on the progress is when it clicks that Domaine is no longer just a dream it’s real, and people are responding to it, even if it’s still growing.
AA: What does the future of Domaine look like? Are there upcoming collections, styles, or goals you're excited about?
JH: Right now, I’m focused on the first drop and building a really clear identity and foundation. I want Domaine to feel cohesive, like a world you can step into.Moving forward, I want to expand into collections and keep building out this world. I plan on exploring new designs, fabrics, and moods while staying true to Domaine’s core identity. I will also lean more into the editorial and storytelling side, because I want Domaine to feel like more than just clothing.
My hope is that Domaine grows in a way that feels personal, considered, and not rushed—always fabulous.
Strike LA is excited to watch Domaine’s ode to form flourish.
Explore the brand and get the first look at future collections at weardomaine.com and on Instagram:@domaine___.
Strike Out,
Writer: Andrea Arguello
Editor: Andrea Arguello
Collaborator: Jess Hanassab
Images: Bella Marguerite and Emily Lorenger
