Homegrown Designer Debuts New Line

A budding New Haven fashion designer named Del Vaani brought his latest avant-garde line to a crowd gathered in Westville Wednesday night.

Del Vanni — aka Jozif Del Vaani, who’s 23 — gave 70 friends and family a taste of his latest designs at a fashion show held at the Kehler Liddell Gallery.

The evening began with music as fans sat waiting for the show to begin. After a few minutes, the music tempo changed, and Del Vaani’s models began strutting down the runway.

Del Vaani designs and produces hoodies, tees, sweaters, hats, bags, and custom sneakers. His latest drop also included two dress designs.

The models in Del Vaani’s show included fans from instagram and friends chosen through a social media casting call.

Del Vaani has been developing his brand since 2015. He works alongside his girlfriend of six years, Paola Salvador. Salvador hand-sews their designs, while Del Vaani oversees marketing and design with the help of their graphic designer, @Artofwave5.

Del Vaani has been making clothes since he was in eighth grade, but said he only began taking his business seriously in 2015, when he started his brand. He was inspired to make his own designs because he was tired of seeing everyone wearing the same clothing.

“I’d go to the mall and I couldn’t find an outfit,” he recalled. ​“I just wanted to make things catered to what I like.”

“Connecticut doesn’t really have a lot of unique clothing,” noted Del Vaani, who gains inspiration from designers and celebrities like Rick Owens, Balenciaga and Kayne West. ​“Everybody kind of sticks to…the same type of rhythm”, said Del Vaani.

He said he seeks to bring different ​“walks of life” to New Haven through his clothes, from skiing-themed pieces to his hoodie and shorts combo inspired by California street style.

The fashion designer noted that it has been challenging making a name for himself: ​“Especially being from New Haven. It’s really hard to gain so much support. Everybody’s kind of iffy about supporting certain things.” But ​“everybody kind of comes together for this, and it just feels amazing.”

Del Vaani’s latest launch stayed true to his pursuit of stepping outside of the box and bringing people something new. The season’s logo is marked by a skateboarding alien, who Del Vaani said is supposed to ​“give people a sense of being out of this world”.

“I want to put on for this small city. Ain’t really nobody from Connecticut that’s putting on for Connecticut,” he said.

Business partner Salvador said that she can finish several pieces if she works for half a week straight. ​“I just enjoy the process,” she said.

Currently, Del Vaani is sold online and at Del Vaani’s cousin’s storefront Think Broke Look Rich at 368 Lombard St.

Family and friends who watched the evening’s show were moved by Del Vaani’s drive for his work.

“It takes a lot of passion,” said family friend Esmeralda Maldonado. ​“He came a long way.”