Today we’d like to introduce you to Dasha Crawley.
Hi Dasha, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
My journey with Je Suis Fashion began long before I ever designed a garment. At 22 years old, I got my first job in women’s retail and quickly fell in love with serving women. It wasn’t just about helping someone choose an outfit—it was about the connection. I became a listening ear, a sounding board, and a familiar face. Even though many of the women I served were new relationships, there was a sense of sisterhood that developed through those interactions, and that experience left a lasting impact on me.
That passion eventually led me to attend the International Academy of Design and Technology (Detroit, MI), where I earned my degree in Fashion Design. Before enrolling, I had participated in several fashion shows through the retail store where I worked, and those experiences inspired me to pursue fashion professionally.
Ironically, when I started design school, I had no intention of becoming a designer. I wanted to be a stylist. My dream was to help people style themselves using other designers’ creations, not create my own. However, God had other plans for me.
The program was accelerated, with eight-week semesters, and I struggled. I was new to sketching, clothing construction, and the design process as a whole. I often felt behind my classmates and found it difficult to grasp some of the concepts. There were moments when I felt discouraged, but I had already invested my time, energy, and money into pursuing my degree, so giving up was never an option.
One day, I went home and transformed a skirt into a scarf. I wore it to work the next day, and a coworker immediately asked where I got it. When I told her I made it myself, she asked if I could make one for her too. That became my very first sale—and the beginning of Je Suis Fashion.
From there, I began participating in local fashion shows, vendor events, and eventually launched my own e-commerce store. As a first-generation entrepreneur, I’ve learned that business is often a constant cycle of on-the-job training. Many times, you don’t know what you don’t know. I’ve experienced pivots, setbacks, lessons, and seasons of uncertainty. Over time, I shifted from operating my own online store to focusing more on in-person events and currently offer my designs through Etsy.
One of the highlights of my journey came last year when I had the opportunity to participate in the Ultimate Women’s Expo (Nashville, TN), where I served as a panel speaker alongside other women entrepreneurs. It was my first time speaking on a panel, and it was a powerful reminder of how far I’ve come.
My entrepreneurial journey has been anything but a straight line. It’s been up and down, side to side, upside down, and inside out. But through it all, I’m still here because I believe in the vision God has given me. Je Suis Fashion is about more than designing apparel—it’s about creating meaningful connections with women and making an impact through fashion and beauty.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not at all. My entrepreneurial journey has been filled with challenges, both personal and professional. One thing I’ve learned is that personal challenges often find their way into your business. When you’re the owner, the visionary, and the person responsible for making everything happen, it’s difficult to separate the two.
As a first-generation entrepreneur who has primarily self-funded my business, I’ve faced countless obstacles along the way. I’ve had to balance entrepreneurship with full-time employment, navigate seasons of financial hardship, and figure out what entrepreneurship truly looks like for me and my business. There have been times when I didn’t have the inventory customers were requesting or the resources needed to grow at the pace I envisioned. I’ve applied for grants, sought funding opportunities, and received numerous of rejection emails..
But beyond the financial and operational challenges, I believe the greatest struggle has been overcoming self-doubt. Entrepreneurship requires you to believe in something long before anyone else can see it. There is a constant internal battle of wondering, “Can I really do this? Will this vision ever become a reality?” When you’re doing something that no one in your family has done before, there isn’t always a blueprint to follow. You have to learn as you go, make mistakes, and keep moving forward despite uncertainty.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that entrepreneurship isn’t just about having a vision—it’s about enduring the process between the vision and the outcome. We often focus on the beginning, when the dream is born, and the end, when success is achieved. What we don’t always anticipate is the in-between season. That’s where the growth happens. That’s where the challenges, setbacks, lessons, and perseverance are developed.
Although the road has been far from smooth, I continue to move forward because I believe in the vision God has entrusted to me. I believe that if He gave me the vision, He will also provide the resources, opportunities, and strength needed to fulfill it. The challenges are real, but they are also part of the journey. Every obstacle has taught me resilience, strengthened my faith, and reminded me why I started in the first place.
As you know, we’re big fans of Je Suis Fashion. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Je Suis Fashion is a beauty and fashion brand specializing in upcycled and custom denim apparel and accessories, with an intentional focus on women empowerment. The brand prides itself on offering affordable, one-of-a-kind fashion pieces that ensure no two customers ever look the same. Our customers often share that one of the things they love most is the confidence that comes with wearing something truly unique—pieces that are truly original and never duplicated.
In addition to our custom denim and accessories, we also offer a lipwear collection, which launched in 2021 and is currently being reintroduced and expanded over the coming months. While fashion and beauty are the visible expressions of the brand, the heart of Je Suis Fashion goes much deeper.
This brand was created not only to design custom pieces, but to serve as a bridge for connection with women beyond the transaction. It is rooted in a vision to empower women, uplift them, and eventually provide access to resources, education, and mentorship opportunities that support them in thriving across all areas of influence in their lives.
One of the core differentiators of Je Suis Fashion is that it is built on relationship and impact. We recognize that women have countless options when it comes to fashion, but those who choose our brand are choosing connection, community, and care. Every interaction—whether at pop-up events, in-person experiences, or online—is an opportunity to engage, listen, and encourage.
Our mission is to help women discover the beauty of their uniqueness and their God-given “girl magic.” With every piece they wear, we want them to feel seen, empowered, and confident in who they are. Many of our customers share that they are stepping outside of their comfort zones when they wear our designs, and that experience often becomes more than fashion—it becomes transformation. Our goal is not only to influence how women see themselves in clothing, but how they see themselves in life.
As a woman-owned business, we also understand the importance of shared experience. Conversations naturally happen at our events about life, confidence, identity, and the challenges women face. In those moments, we intentionally create space for encouragement and affirmation. We do not allow self-criticism or negative self-talk to go unchecked; instead, we replace it with support, honesty, and empowerment.
At its core, Je Suis Fashion exists to create moments of connection and affirmation. It is about more than clothing—it is about giving women a space to pause, to feel valued, and to celebrate themselves exactly where they are in life. Whether it is through a custom denim piece or a simple interaction, our intention is always the same: to remind women that they are seen, they are enough, and they are celebrated.
The name itself, Je Suis—meaning “I Am”—reflects the identity and essence of the brand. It represents becoming, confidence, and self-definition. Ultimately, Je Suis Fashion exists to serve women through fashion, beauty, and most importantly, through meaningful connection that extends far beyond what they wear.
What makes you happy?
What makes me happy is the ability that God has given me to create. There’s something powerful about having a vision in my mind, bringing it to life with my hands, and then witnessing someone else connect with it in a meaningful way.
It’s one thing to create something and feel good about it personally, but it becomes something entirely different when someone else sees it, values it, and chooses to make it part of their life. That moment of confirmation—that someone else not only appreciates what I’ve created but is willing to invest in it—brings me a deep sense of joy and fulfillment.
I especially love that I am able to create pieces in my home studio and then share them with women who resonate with them. Seeing a customer light up, feel confident, and choose to wear something I’ve designed is incredibly rewarding. It validates the gift I’ve been given and reminds me that creativity is meant to be shared.
Beyond the fashion itself, what truly makes me happy is connection with women. There is something special about the bond that forms when women come together. While there is often a narrative that women struggle to support one another, my experience has shown me that we are far more similar than we are different.
Fashion becomes the bridge. It brings women together across different backgrounds, social statuses, and life experiences. In those moments—whether at events or one-on-one interactions—I get to witness women discovering not just clothing they love, but confidence, identity, and connection.
What brings me the most joy is reminding women that they are uniquely created, deeply valued, and full of purpose. Every woman has a God-given gift meant to impact the world. And in the same way they are connecting with my gift through fashion, I encourage them to recognize and share their own.
At the core, what makes me happiest is not just creating fashion, but creating moments—moments where women feel seen, affirmed, and reminded of who they are and the power they carry within them.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://jesuisfashion.godaddysites.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jesuis_fashion
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JeSuisFashionLLC
