Jessie L.

I founded Dart Apparel in 2019. Dart Apparel is a contracting company that focuses on apparel design and development. My goal at Dart Apparel is to help companies and individuals with their design and development needs. Dart Apparel can fill a need for apparel companies during times of transition and growth, allowing companies to have access to professional work done by an industry expert, without going through the trouble of hiring and relocating a new employee. Individuals seeking help also can have their dreams brought to life through Dart, and are encouraged to reach out. Specialties include computer pattern-making, conceptual design, technical design and development, sourcing, construction libraries, grade rules, drawing and other design services per request. What makes me stand out from others within the apparel industry is my strong background in small, medium, and large companies. Working in each gave me unique skills and experiences, and helped me learn the challenges of doing business on three different scales. This has given me the ability to; design, develop, manufacture, and sell almost any good, on any scale, while maintaining a clear vision and realistic path to success. ​ I have also founded a Maternity & Baby Apparel Company called RASKANA in 2021 (RASKANA.com) . As the founder and CEO of RASKANA, I inspire to design fashionable and functional maternity and children's apparel that is unique but practical for real moms. The designs are personally designed and developed by me, a mother of 5 (5 and under). My focus is equally on pattern-making and fit, in conjunction with design, in order to create products that fit before, during and after pregnancy, that are equally fashionable and functional for pregnant and postpartum mothers. ​ My unique set of skills also comes from my extensive background and experience in sewing & patterning. I started sewing when I was 7 years old, and soon began to teach classes in my mother’s sewing machine dealership. In this dealership, my mother and I worked alongside each other: learning, teaching, and traveling to Husqvarna Viking international sewing conventions together. In high school, I dual enrolled in art classes, and went on to study Fashion Design in College where I received my BFA in Fashion Design from The Illinois Institute of Art - Chicago. During high school and college, I never left the industry, working hard in upholstery and interior design to pay my way. Being a passionate expert in the apparel industry, I am confident in leading projects and delivering end-to-end apparel development with high expectations. Combining my degree in fashion design, growing up in a sewing machine dealership, and my work experiences, I am able to deliver quality services and products within the competitive apparel market. I love to champion new projects and challenges and thrive within creative and fast-paced environments. Hard work, combined with passion for finding efficiencies and best practices, has allowed me to effectively manage competing priorities on very short time-lines.