Dynamic Duo: Francesca Miranda & Daniella Jassir
AS REPORTED BY ELIZABETH SWANSON
Francesca Miranda’s favorite post-fashion show tradition is grabbing diner pancakes with her daughter, Daniella Jassir. “It’s how we unwind after the adrenaline rush—it’s such a lovely moment,” Miranda says. “And, of course, we go over every single detail of the show hundreds of times.”
That’s just one of many traditions they’ve established since Jassir joined the family business ten years ago. In 1995, Francesca Miranda launched her namesake brand with menswear, expanded to womenswear, and then—with Jassir on board—added bridal. “I love working with young people. I enjoy complementing my years of experience with fresh ideas,” Miranda says. “Without new blood, I don’t think the company would still be here.”
As a child, however, Jassir had her sights set elsewhere. She studied music business but eventually found her way into fashion a few years later. “I could not see what was right in front of me—so cliché but true,” Jassir says. She’s in charge of public relations and marketing, while Miranda is the creative director. But together, they brainstorm new concepts for each collection.
“The starting point usually revolves around our mood or something that’s happening in our lives,” Jassir says. “I remember talking to my late grandmother last year about what she was reading, and her life in New York, and she mentioned Party of the Century. [A book about Truman Capote’s black and white ball.] It caught my attention and became the theme for the collection. For the show, we had models wear feathers on their faces. It was so much fun.
“Sometimes,” she continues, “inspiration can come from a beautiful piece of fabric, and before you know it, we’ve created a movie in our heads. That process is one of my favorite parts of the job.”
While both Miranda and Jassir joke that the business never closes—it can be difficult to ‘turn off’ work—they’re able to create a warm, familial environment at the office. They love working so closely together, and Jassir sometimes brings her baby with her. But she doesn’t take her responsibility lightly: “I want everything to work out for the business and for my mother, so it’s double the pressure!”
Each piece the duo creates is special (everything is handmade by Colombian artisans) but one gown is particularly significant: Jassir’s own wedding dress, a strapless lace gown with a high-low hemline. “The day after I got engaged, my mom and I were on a trip together,” she says. “I sketched an outline of what I wanted my dress to look like on a napkin, and that is exactly how it turned out. I gave her the big picture, and she put it together with all of the details. That is how we work, too.”
Jassir married in January 2015, and perhaps not coincidentally, they officially launched bridal later that year. “I jumped right into that new branch of business,” Jassir says. “When we had our first official bridal show, I felt so proud. A friend took a picture of me watching the show, and I had the biggest smile on my face. That feeling will stay with me forever.”
