Meet Alyssa Wasko Stein: The Founder of L.A.-Based Brand Donni

Welcome to Second Life, a podcast spotlighting successful women who've made major career changes—and fearlessly mastered the pivot. Hosted by Hillary Kerr, co-founder and chief content officer at Who What Wear, each episode gives you a direct line to women who are game changers in their fields. Subscribe to Second Life on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you get your podcasts to stay tuned.

Alyssa Wasko Stein is the epitome of an entrepreneur. As the founder of the incredibly chic Los Angeles–based womenswear brand Donni—a longtime beloved brand of Who What Wear—Stein’s story is one of turning personal passion into a thriving fashion empire.

Her entrepreneurial spirit sparked early. Growing up in Denver, she sold water bottles to festivalgoers and even launched a handbag business at just nine years old. That innate hustle carried her through college, where she studied retailing and consumer sciences and landed a prestigious internship at Chanel—one that later evolved into a full-time role in visual merchandising after graduation.

But Stein’s path took a pivotal turn during her sophomore year, when she faced the devastating loss of her father, Donald. Channeling her grief into creativity, she founded Donni Charms, a scarf business named in his honor. Handcrafting each piece, Stein poured her heart into the brand while still working at Chanel. Her dedication paid off when a major wholesale order catapulted Donni Charms into a new realm, prompting her to begin manufacturing and ultimately leave Chanel to focus on her venture full-time.

Stein eventually relocated operations to Los Angeles, rebranded the business as Donni, and took a bold leap into ready-to-wear clothing, despite having no formal design experience. Impressively, within just four weeks, she expanded the brand from scarves to a full-fledged clothing line with nearly 30 SKUs, showcasing her natural talent and fearless ambition.

Today, Donni is known for its trendy yet versatile pieces that resonate with modern women and appear on major retail platforms like Revolve and Shopbop.

Listen to the latest episode of Second Life to hear how Stein built a fashion brand in the modern era, and then keep scrolling to shop some of our favorite picks from Donni.

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