Teflon Donni

In an industry that values speed and scale, Donni, the trendy, L.A.-based stretchy mom-pants brand, is taking it slow. Is founder Alyssa Wasko naive about what it takes to compete, or forging a new model for subscale, independent brands?

Whether Wasko is brave, naive, or simply chasing a different definition of success, there’s no doubt that her approach is unique among her peers—even if the clothes themselves are essentially high-quality replicas of more expensive brands. Photo: Courtesy of Alyssa Wasko

Sarah Shapiro

May 13, 2025

While other brands chase venture capital and fetishize hypergrowth, Alyssa Wasko’s upscale momswear brand, Donni—a staple at pricey preschool drop-offs in West Hollywood and Park Slope—is taking the slow and steady approach. Wasko’s L.A.-based team is tiny, with less than 15 employees, even though demand for their relaxed silhouettes has skyrocketed. According to Lyst tracking data, the brand saw 470 percent year-over-year growth, with a 79 percent jump in the past three months alone. Meanwhile, YipitData puts their revenue between $10 million to $20 million, without a single outside investor on the cap table and none on the immediate horizon. (Donni didn’t comment on these figures.)