House of DZA founder Stacy on faith, identity and redefining success
Q&A Interview Feature | Issue 10
Stacy is the founder and CEO of House of DZA, a brand built on confidence, identity and the belief that accessories are an extension of who you are. In Issue 10, she opens up about faith, vulnerability and what it really means to build something that grows alongside you.
KC: What inspired the creation of House of DZA, and what does the brand represent to you?
Stacy: I was always into accessories growing up. I loved a pair of sunglasses even if I had no business wearing them. I remember being in Spain, wearing a pair of sunglasses and thinking to myself, “Why am I wearing someone else's?” What stops me from wearing myself out? That was really it. Because I grew up modelling and dancing, I wanted to incorporate these arts and what they represent. House of DZA represents effortless confidence wherever you go. Growing up, the representation of black women was more negative than it was positive. I'm changing that trajectory.
KC: Your brand feels very rooted in who you are as a person. What part of yourself did you have to really look at or accept before you could build this?
Stacy: My identity in Christ first. God had to show me who I was, which in and of itself is a journey that affects everything. As you can imagine, this brand is an intersection of fashion and community, but largely fashion. This industry has a culture of promoting nudity and hypersexualising people. Whilst building this brand, I have to make sure my values aren't compromised, and there's a lot we've said no to because of it.
KC: What has building this brand taught you about yourself that no other experience could have?
Stacy: When you think you've hit the ceiling, you've actually hit the floor for another level.
KC: What does success and becoming mean to you as a creative and founder?
Stacy: Success to me is doing the will of God and being pleasing in His sight first, before the sight of man. That's true success! Although this is a business, I know that no amount of money, accolades or status will suffice.
Becoming means being the best at my craft. Every day I'm learning to better myself, and this is always reflected in the brand, which is an extension of me. This means staying in my lane, facing my front and perfecting my craft.
“I know there’s only one of me and no one can do what I do, ever.”
Want the full story? Read Stacy's complete feature, including her thoughts on building creatively in public and navigating vulnerability as a designer, in Issue 10 — The Redefining Success Issue.
House of DZA
www.houseofdza.com
@houseofdza
