Interview with Dani Nagel (from the archives, I believe 2017)
Dani Roxanne Nagel, a.k.a the “#graphicteegirl”, is the founder of the clothing company Dazey LA. Prior to starting Dazey LA in 2016, Dani worked both freelance and full time designing for companies like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Forever21, Macy's, Pac Sun, Kohl's, Hot Topic, Truly Madly Deeply, and many more. I discovered Dazey LA on Instagram, where they currently have 25.5k followers and growing! In this interview, Dani and I discuss her artistic roots, feminism, the inspiration for Dazey LA, social media, tips on being a girl boss, and more.
D: I was born in L.A., but I grew up in Lake Arrowhead, which is a small mountain town pretty close to L.A.
T: Have you always been fashionable? Or do you look back at old pictures and say, “What on earth was I wearing back then?”
D: I always liked to think I was fashionable, and I always cared about fashion, but it took me a few years to get good at it.
T: When did art first start playing a major role in your life?
D: Art’s always been there. The fashion thing? That took time to develop. But the art has been there since I was a kid. I was drawing pictures, doing art galleries in my living room. My whole family is basically made up of artists. My grandma’s an artist, my aunt’s an interior designer, my other aunt’s an actress. So it’s been instilled in me since I was a kid.
T: Where did you get your degree in fashion?
D: I went to a really small school in San Diego. I got an associate’s, but most of my experience I gained working in the industry as opposed to school.
T: What were some of the major lessons you learned from your years of freelance and working for huge brands like Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie?
D: Every place I worked I made sure to be very observant, and see how each companies ran differently. Taking note of what worked and what didn’t work while I was cultivating my design skills during that time. I was always fascinated with the business side of things. It was really cool to have worked for and with so many different companies, and really understand how companies work. What you can and can’t do.
T: Do you or anyone in your family have any degree in business, or was it something you picked up along the way?
D: My dad has dabbled with starting businesses. He’s very business savvy, so I’ve learned a lot about business from him.
T: What fears went along with stepping away from freelance work and going into Dazey?
D: I quit a job to start Dazey. I was just scared in general. I’ve always been a very careful person. My whole life I would make sure I was safe and comfortable. I worked really hard to make it as a graphic designer. I had jobs that I was very safe and comfortable in. The thought of leaving that and taking that risk was terrifying. Losing everything I worked so hard to built.
T: How did you conquer those fears, and build up the courage to start Dazey?
D: I listened to tons of podcasts about starting business, and I followed the journey of female entrepreneurs who I admired. I just got to a point where I said, “Okay, if they could do it, why couldn’t I do it?” The company I quit right before Dazey was a start up, and I got to see how you build a business. I realized it’s not as scary as I thought it was, and that I could actually do this myself instead of for someone else.
T: Are there any books you recommend that helped you?
D: I love "Girl Boss" by Sofia Amoruso. She came from nothing and built this giant empire. It blew my mind. I really like the book I’m reading now, “All Marketers Tell Stories.” Seth Godin says that instead of just selling a product, you need to have a whole story behind your brand. I decided to really focus on the story I was telling through my designs.
T: What do you want your story to be? What do you want your shirts to mean to people?
D: I design my shirts for girls like me. Girls who are interested in art, and have really big dreams and passions. I like to think that girls who buy Dazey have all that in common with me and with each other. A girl posted a picture yesterday that she randomly met a girl who was also wearing a Dazey shirt, and they became instantly friends. That’s just crazy.
T: A lot of your work is inspired by 70s posters and vintage graphic tees. What is it about the 70s you love so much? Do you feel like there’s a lot of parallels between the 70s and today when it comes to art, pop culture, and current events?
D: I’m fascinated by the 70s. The art was so cool. Fashion was just crazy and awesome. There was just such a big movement for peace. I feel like people really cared. They were protesting the things they believe in, and I think that speaks so much to what’s going on today. People standing up for their rights, the big feminist march. I think it’s so perfect for what Dazey represents.
T: Where did this activism in your life come from? Why is it important for you to speak out?
D: I’ve always been an outspoken person. I can’t hold it in. I’m the kind of person that has to tell it like it is and be very open and honest. I guess I’ve just always been that way. I have this medium of t-shirts. I can put words on it that people wear, and spread a message. It just seems like a no brainer.
T: Social media is an important tool for Dazey LA. How does social media play a role in making a company today?
D: What I love about social media is it gives the little guys a chance that they didn’t have before. Back in the day you needed money for expensive ads, or no one would be able to find you. Now you can share, and grow your audience organically, for free, easily through social media. You can do it in a very authentic real way, and connect with your customers. Interact with them, ask their opinions on things. As a one girl show I can promote what I’m doing, and afford to do it.
T: What’s the story behind the name “Dazey”?
D: I just liked the way it sounded. My sister and I were going back and forth on names, and that one stuck. We felt it evoked a feeling of laid back LA, the 70s. It just kind of worked. It was short and easy. It’s kind of timeless.
T: How long does each t-shirt design take you?
D: It depends. I used to take half a day to do a design. Now I can do it in an hour. I’ve been doing it so long, I’ve become very quick.
T: Any advice to young aspiring artists, business people? Especially women?
D: Yes! Don’t limit yourself. I did that when I was younger. I never thought I was going to have a career, especially in art. I was just going through the motions, hoping it would happen. Every step of the way I was empowered. I realized, “Hey I can do this! I can have these big goals.” I was moving up this ladder, and I started to believe in myself.
T: Any last words? This will go down in history...
D: What inspires Dazey are the Dazey ladies. It’s not just a t-shirt company. It’s a community of women. I’m inspired by my Dazey ladies.
Dani just launched The Dazey Zine, which includes design tutorials, fashion/business tips, photos, and more. You can keep up with Dani (@danidazey) and Dazey LA (@dazey_la) on Instagram. For more on Dazey LA, visit http://www.dazeyla.com.
For more on me, visit my website http://www.TaylorBlackwell.net. You can follow me on Instagram @themusicalmushroom.
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