Daniela Cassab knows how to dress a rockstar. After studying art history at Parsons, she returned to Mexico and styled the contestants of The Voice Mexico. There, she worked with the likes of Maluma, J Balvin, and Bad Bunny. “That was a channel for me to get to know what made them feel powerful when they're onstage,” she explains. “The do’s and don'ts of how to feel, literally, like a rock star.” Her clients began asking her to custom make pieces, jackets specifically, rather than simply sourcing designer finds. Then one day, someone suggested putting a brand name on them. So she stitched a shortened version of her name into the lining and, in 2016, Dan Cassab was born.
It was this glittering client list that helped bolster her brand at its onset. Since then, she’s cultivated a devoted, international fan base. Cassab won their hearts (and wallets) with a slow approach, creating signature styles like the Loretta, a fringed leather jacket she launched three years ago. The inspiration for which came from a jacket called the Cuera Tamaulipeca, traditionally worn by ranchers in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, and the North of Mexico to protect themselves from rain and branches. It was utilitarian; Cassab made it fashion by extending the length of the fringe, relaxing the overall silhouette, and supersizing the collar. With this aesthetic development, the Dan Cassab consumer started to fully take shape.
A craftsman embellished leather;
Photos: Courtesy of Dan Cassab
Cassab dubs the process of stitching together leather a work of artistry.
Inside Cassab's Mexico City studio.
The designer grew up in the fashion world, or at least the back end of it. Her family worked in production for Guess Jeans and Marciano, so she learned what it takes to actually make that pair of jeans you buy in the store. Craftsmanship, she clarifies, is now a priority for her own brand. What began as a team of three in her Mexico City studio, has expanded to nearly twenty. Highly skilled artisans work across every category—those who source the leather, those who assure quality, those who patch each individual piece together, those who embellish and embroider Cassab underscores both the artistry and immense skill required for each task. Once you stitch leather, there’s no going back—unless you want to leave a mark.
Sourced leather hangs ready to be made into a piece of clothing;
Photos: Courtesy of Dan Cassab
Nothing in Cassab's studio fits the term "basic leather jacket."
Some styles are bead-embellished, others trimmed in fur.
In the studio, collaboration is key. “[My artisans are going to throw the ball at me with a suggestion on how to stitch, but maybe I'm going to throw a ball at them of a trend that maybe we should try.” Sometimes she’s drawing inspiration from a buckle in a market or the condition of leather they bring into the studio. “You can see the finish on the leather, and you can imagine the piece,” she muses.
Cassab describes her customer as someone who loves the “Aspen Texas cowboyish look, but very chic.” Her vast range of references reflects three resounding elements. There’s obviously the Western component. There’s a contingent of space age futurism evident in styles like the Ringo jacket. Then that’s laced with a little bit of ‘70s rock and roll. Each is ripe with historical imagery from which to pull inspiration.The resulting moodboard crosses Brancusi sculptures with traditional Moroccan beading techniques, Josef Albers squares with punk biker jackets, Luis Barragán architecture with David Bowie’s floral suiting. Her favorite style icons range from Prince and Elvis Presley to Dolly Parton and Miranda Lambert. (The latter Cassab has dressed many times.)
A portrait of Daniela Cassab;
Photos: Courtesy of Dan Cassab
A craftsman in Cassab's studio.
Jackets hang in Cassab's flagship store;
The brand founder loves watching how her customers slot the jacket into their own wardrobes. Take, for instance, DJ Pamela Tick who pairs her fur-trimmed Queen jacket with a white t-shirt and jeans whereas Chloe King, another vocal supporter, attended fashion week in the blue fringed Loretta with khakis and a button down. The “magic,” Cassab says, is seeing both these two people wear the same jacket.
Cassab plays with new kind of embellishment to create unique styles;
Photos: Courtesy of Dan Cassab
A craftsman in Cassab's studio.
Craftsmen in Cassab's studio.
Though she’s since expanded into other categories, the foundation of the brand lies in outerwear. Cassab draws a parallel between jackets and accessories. “If you're going out tonight with a silk dress, you're going to be able to wear the jacket, and tomorrow morning with your jeans and tank-top, the jacket is going to dress you up.” You can wear it over and over and over again, as you would a purse or a necklace. Not to mention, there’s a certain swagger tied into the history of leather jackets. “You would be so surprised when people come into our shop and leave with a jacket on,” Cassab says of their Mexico City outpost, “they're another person completely.”