Explore Lori Dilo's journey in the Fashion Design Industry

Yes, it does. It resonates with freedom because you’re detached and discovering yourself. I’m Albanian. I came here in America a long time ago so I’ve adapted to the American culture but there’s a part of me that is still Albanian. I think that rootless means being reborn in your own terms. – Lori Dilo

I’m from Tirana, Albania. I came here when I was 16, that was a long time ago. I was a visitor in America and had a visitor’s visa which later expired. I was an illegal immigrant for some time. After a while, I figured a way to work legally by getting a work sponsorship for my first job ever. The moment I got my Green Card, I came to New York. – Lori Dilo

I have a design background. I love visual forms, colors, texture, function. I wanted to go to New York so much because when I was living in Worcester, Massachusetts there were no jobs in design for me. So, I came here in New York because I considered it the center of fashion and everything exciting. I just wanted to go there and didn’t care about anything else. I followed my passion. Everyone knows what makes their heart beat, what their passion is. I didn’t care how was I going to make it, I knew I was going to figure it out. All my clients tell me I have a great color sense. They love my style because it’s colorful. I remember when I was in high school, I went to Worcester art museum and a teacher there gave us an interesting assignment to document our lives for fifteen days, put the daily highlight in a book and paint over it. I started doing that. I showed her my book and she loved it. She told me I was going to become famous and that gave me some extra confidence boost. – Lori Dilo

It takes a lot of practice. There are some things that come naturally to me: colors, shapes, all of that. I can work super quickly. I come from a fine arts background but it took me some time to level up. To draw something how it actually looks takes a lot of practice. I got some graphic design training in community college, took some classes at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) and at got my BFA at New York Institute of Technology. I even took an animation course at the Northeastern University in Massachusetts for a whole semester. I was just trying different things. I did this partly because I didn’t have the legal work permit paperwork in the beginning. I got it when I was 24. I would volunteer to magazines as a designer willing to work for free. They would accept me and give me 50$ per month. I draw my first designs when I was little. They were beautiful girls wearing stylish dresses. My first published designs were graphic design I did for a magazine, small businesses advertising. My first sketch for a clothing piece was a cowboy wrangler shirt for a project in New York. – Lori Dilo

Firstly, you have to love it because fashion is a lot of work. It takes a lot of time to make something. Secondly, you have to practice because you can learn much more from it compared to what you do in school. Jump on the internships, do one or two until you learn. In my opinion, you have to dedicate all of your talent and time until you create something you’re proud of, go to the person in charge and ask for more work. You have to show that they can trust you with other projects and responsibilities. In my early days, I came to New York right away, got a job for an independent fashion contractor which is kind of what I am right now. The client was Wrangler and was making design prints for it. I actually made a western theme book about fashion, was cutting the pieces for the shirts and it’s still good. – Lori Dilo

I would recommend working for somebody because you’ll learn discipline. I remember when I was young, I didn’t take myself seriously, didn’t finish tasks right away. When you work for somebody, you have responsibilities, you have to report to somebody. I think you can choose do either do freelance work or not but it depends on your self-discipline. I’ve learned a lot by working with other people. I learned how to work with clients, how to be a good salesperson, learned more about fabrics, etc. because they don’t teach you everything in school. Learn about discipline, the right work ethic, fuel your desire to do something, finish and be proud of it. – Lori Dilo

There is so much pressure in the fashion world because everything changes by seasons. Right now, I’m designing for Spring 2022. I make the prints, deliver them to the client and have them comment on my work. I have to make sure by the revision, comments etc. everything is submitted by April because we have a deadline. Afterwards, the samples will be created overseas, get sent to the buyers, get their approval and then the pieces will get sent to the store. It’s a very time sensitive industry. You can get a project and finish it in one day but can also can get projects that will take one or two weeks because sometimes it is also a matter of inspiration. Some days you’re not giving 100%. You can submit the project but you know that is not your best. You have to give yourself some time so that you can give it your all. You need to believe in your creations. – Lori Dilo

If it’s not a bestseller, they don’t like it, they won’t order the same thing again and you’ll lose a client. Maybe you did a great job but the consumer didn’t feel it. The stores buy your pieces because they know they will have the clients and consumers for it. It’s also a matter of whether my clients are giving me directions on what item they are looking for. If they want fruit prints, colorful pieces, that’s what I will do. Communication is essential. Fashion is so fast. Something may be stylish at one moment and not be in three months. – Lori Dilo

Firstly, I do research, I see what’s happening in the market. Sometimes I go shopping, see what’s new, star googling different countries, what the stars are selling online. I used to travel but I don’t anymore. I’ve also subscribed in agencies like WGCN who are number the one trend reporters for style and fashion. You can see what they predict but, in the end, you have to follow your gut. You gather information and use it. For example, if you know what colors are going to be ‘in’, what patterns are hot, see celebrities wearing a trend, you will know what the next item for a certain client will be. This is how the creative process goes. If you create one thing, you’ll get inspired to create more. – Lori Dilo

It took me a year. I was learning how to create one piece at a time. Throughout this process you’ll learn tricks on how to work faster. For example, if you create a one-way design, it’s great but is a bit expensive. However, if you do a two-way design print, cut it in each angle, you’ll have the same pattern and that will save you money. You learn these things little by little and you just keep going. – Lori Dilo

You must firstly have a clear idea of what you want to do. I would advise to start small and believe in yourself. You should be your number 1 fan. You also need to expose yourself, have a website to showcase your work, have social media accounts on Instagram, Tik Tok to show people what you do every day. People will google you so it looks good on you if you’re creating and writing blogs. If someone googles your name and nothing comes up, you will seem unprofessional. Don’t keep a private Instagram account, make your company’s account public and post often. I highly suggest trademarking your company’s name, it won’t cost more than $1,000. Pay for a website ($1000) and spend $300-$400 on google ads so that you increase your visibility. All you need is one client hat will believe in you, give you a good review. Afterwards, they will tell their friends and you’ll have many potential clients. I got most of my clients through word of mouth and only 20% from Google or social media. – Lori Dilo

So, there are a few agencies they can go to. I personally don’t like them because they’re going to give you $20 and charge the clients $80. I would say to figure out your style, find the companies you feel are a great fit for you and say you’ve got a design for them. I get offers like that all the time from designers. They say they love “Designland” and want to design for me. It’s a great feeling. Sometimes I get surprised by people who are really forward and confident in this industry. – Lori Dilo

I started my first business, “Dilo Design”, in 2008. Back then, I used to call my office Design Land. Even though I was an independent contractor, I had assistants and coworkers. I didn’t allow yelling, the office was a happy place, we played music. It started as a nice working space until I thought about starting my own company and calling it “Design Land”. I trademarked it on February 2020, right before the pandemic. I wanted to do something different in fashion. I wanted to include branding too because they are linked together. Every company I’ve worked for is interested in branding. I have some clients who are just starting their businesses and it’s been cool working with them. I think Picasso has said that every act of creation is the act of destruction. When you have a canvass, you “destroy” it by drawing on it. I think that designing is about letting yourself go, being humble and just trying to take away any pressure you have. Sometimes we get anxious when we’re not sure how to do something. Sometimes I feel that too when I have a project that I think it’s too big for me. I start by doing small things, taking baby steps. In my opinion, you just have to start. Nike’s slogan is: “Just do it”. I think it should be: “Just start”. – Lori Dilo

It is easy. It’s funny because New York is one of the so-called the Fashion Capitals of the World. District 36 and 37 are well known as fashion districts. The seventh avenue is called “Fashion Avenue” and in that area all the building are filled with companies that work in fashion. You can find a million jobs in New York in the fashion industry. When I was an employee for fashion companies in Midtown, there would be a designer knocking and presenting their portfolio every day. People would constantly come in and out. In the age of social media, you can just put hashtags and connect with a lot of people. You just have to be creative, have your own vision, be bold and inquire. – Lori Dilo

My number one advice is be yourself, be original because originality is always trending. Be courageous, be creative, bold, don’t be afraid. Even if you’re afraid or don’t feel ready, tell yourself that you’re going to do it and given the chance, do your best. That’s it. – Lori Dilo

Credibility is a mix of both. Sometimes you make a design and it stands the test of time. You have to prove yourself. Credibility is your online visibility. In my opinion, it is important to have a strong circle of friends who know, trust and support you. They’ll refer you and your work to other people. – Lori Dilo

Yes. Don’t stay in a company for more than two or three years. It’s a career suicide, don’t do that. I think you get too comfortable and you may get confused. I’ll speak for myself, I collaborated with a company for fourteen years. Even though I was an independent contractor, I worked with them for a long time. That was a mistake because it blurred out my focus on doing my own thing seamlessly. – Lori Dilo

Yes, I do. I wake up every day believing that I’m going to make it. I know I’m good at this and give it my best. Why wouldn’t I succeed by thinking like this? I try to be positive each day, it’s the only choice for me. – Lori Dilo

The past year was a little shaky because of the pandemic. The fashion industry was affected, some companies lost employees. I think things are definitely looking brighter. I’ve had a busy April so far. I hire freelancers too when I get overwhelmed and it’s been good. I think I’m going to definitely grow more as a business. The funny thing is, when you work you don’t have time to grow because you’re constantly executing. I’m thinking of hiring somebody to do the inquiring for me, go to potential clients and present my company, look for new project opportunities and collaborations. I want to hire somebody to do that so that I can focus more on design. You’re trying to meet deadlines and sometimes you put your growth on the side. – Lori Dilo

I feel like all sorts of fashion trends go with all sorts of people. I can’t say that because I may not like something somebody else does. There are no rules. Dress whatever you like and feel comfortable in. – Lori Dilo

Collaborations are a trend nowadays. All the major brands are mixing different generations together. Gucci is working on artistic campaigns because they want to be connected with all the age groups. It’s about being one, being seen. Collaboration is a win-win for both sides. It doesn’t matter if the other company has a style different from yours. Nowadays everyone is working from home so we have to take initiative and collaborate with each other. If you believe in yourself, show dedication and have supportive family and friends, everything is possible. When you have those grey days, you need people that are going to lift your spirits. Find them. They say that relationships make the quality of your life. The better relationships you have with people, the better your life is. – Lori Dilo

Every person who has is artistic feels uncertainty from their family. My dad told me I was going to be a starving artist. They are all lawyers and engineers and I was all about fashion, graphic design and fine arts. I also tried animation because my father wanted me to. I tried but ended up hating it so I changed my major. So, you may feel uncertainty from your family and friends. Then, you’re just going to find other people. If you have another friend in the same industry, all the better because you understand each other in a way others can’t. You shouldn’t be upset because it doesn’t mean your family doesn’t support you. They still believe in you but they may not agree with your chosen career path. Albanian parents want their children to become lawyers, accountants, etc. However, there’s more to life than having a secure career path. I would tell an unsupportive parent to let their child design more, draw and paint more. You’ll earn money by doing what you love. I don’t see this as work. This industry is fun, I love picking prints etc. Seeing another person wearing something you designed is such a great feeling. It has happened to me and I love it. I’ve seen people walking by in the subway or on the streets wearing my pieces. I’ve actually approached those people and told them they’re wearing my designs and it’s always a pleasant conversation. – Lori Dilo

Follow your heart, be bold, be original, try to talk to people and collaborate because it is much easier to work with friends and do shows together. – Lori Dilo