Daria Y Maria: Design duo chases dream in LA: Q&A | Arts & Events

Dynamic design duo Daria Y Maria have come a long way since they moved to Los Angeles from Russia. Building their brand from scratch, their work is now become a K-pop fixture, with their custom upcycled jerseys and feature designs worn by stars like Jennie from BLACKPINK, Katseye and Christina Aguilera.

The twin sisters shared their thoughts with the LA Downtown News in a Q&A. Read more below.

You built your brand from scratch in Los Angeles after moving from abroad. What was that experience like, and what challenges shaped your path as designers?

Moving to Los Angeles and building our brand from scratch was a very defining experience for us. We didn’t come with a ready system or connections, but we had a very clear vision of what we wanted to create.

Of course, there were challenges — adapting to a new environment, building everything on our own, and finding our place in a very competitive industry. But for us, it was never about struggling. It was about pushing our ideas forward and proving that our perspective has value.

At the same time, we were constantly working — spending our days in the atelier, and building our brand in every free moment we had. It required a lot of focus and discipline, but we always believed in our vision and knew exactly where we were going.

As twins who have navigated everything from immigration to the competitive LA fashion world together, how do you handle creative disagreements? How does it enhance your work?

Being twins is only an advantage for us. We usually have the same vision and understand each other without even explaining too much.

Having two of us in the brand means double the ideas and double the energy. We can split roles — one of us can be focused on creating, while the other handles communication, stores and PR.

It makes everything faster, stronger and more efficient. We really feel like we build everything together as one system.

You transform American sports jerseys into high-fashion dresses,

turning them into a global trend through K-pop and Asia. How did you build this idea to that level?

It started from being inspired by American sports culture — all these bright teams and jerseys. We saw them not just as sportswear, but as something powerful that could be transformed into something completely different.

We took that masculine energy and turned it into feminine, expressive dresses. It felt new, and no one was doing it this way before. When artists like BLACKPINK started wearing our pieces, and later global icons like Christina Aguilera, it showed us that this idea works on a much bigger level. It became recognizable, and from there it naturally grew into a global trend.

We really feel that we introduced this direction and pushed it to where it is now.

Every piece you create is one of a kind. In a world of fast fashion and mass production, how do you manage the logistical

challenge of sourcing unique vintage materials while keeping the brand scalable?

We usually work with rare, collectible jerseys that already have value on their own. We source them in our own way, from places we’ve built over time.

What we do is take something that already has meaning and turn it into something even stronger. We don’t just redesign it — we turn it into art, adding unique vintage patches, rhinestones and carefully selected fabrics to create something truly distinctive.

It’s also a form of upcycling — we give a second life to pieces that already have history and elevate them into something more valuable.

That’s why our pieces feel different. They’re not just garments — they carry a story, value and a certain level of exclusivity. And people recognize that. Stylists from Asia, Europe and the U.S. consistently reach out to us, because they understand what we create.

From BLACKPINK’s Jennie to Christina Aguilera, your designs have become a staple for global superstars. How did it all start, who was the first, and what did it feel like seeing artists wear your pieces on stage and in music videos?

One of the first major moments for us was when all threee members of MISAMO wore our dresses in a music video that quickly gained millions of views. Seeing our pieces right from the first frame was surreal.

After that, everything started moving very fast. We began receiving a lot of requests, messages, and orders — people really reacted to the pieces.

Then Jennie from BLACKPINK appeared wearing our designs on TikTok, and that moment completely changed the scale for us. Shortly after, her stylist reached out and we created custom outfits for her tour, which was a very important step for our brand.

What made it even more meaningful is that stylists at that level don’t usually reach out to independent designers without big PR or agencies behind them. So, for us, it felt like a very real recognition of what we were creating.

Later, Christina Aguilera’s team contacted us, and we designed an exclusive stage outfit for her Brazil tour. That showed us that our work resonates not only in K-pop, but on a global level.

From there, everything kept growing. Our brand really took off, and we continue building new collections while staying true to our core  — transforming jerseys into something unexpected.

Seeing our pieces on stage and in music videos still feels powerful every time.

After this rapid global recognition, how do you manage growing the brand and building its presence today?

There’s a big difference between where we started and where we are now.

After the attention our brand received, many of the strongest stores across Asia — especially in Japan and Korea — as well as in the U.S., started reaching out to work with us. So, in a way, it became easier, because we’re no longer just the two of us handling everything alone.

At the same time, the growth has been very fast. We didn’t expect to reach this level so quickly — what takes years for many designers, even with strong investments, happened for us in a much shorter time.

Now we’re at a stage where we want to grow even bigger and faster. We have a lot of ideas and a very clear vision, and we’re open to working with the right partner or investor who can grow with us and take the brand to the next level.