What is your full name?
Adaezé Melissa Cadet
How tall are you?
5’8″
Where are you from and where do you currently live?
I’m originally from Sacramento, CA. Then I went to college in Philadelphia, PA and Houston, TX, and then I lived in Dallas, TX and Oakland, CA. Now I live in Beverly Hills, CA.
What was your career before you decided to start House of LVA?
I was and still am an architect. While I was finishing up my master’s, I started working for my firm in 2005 at our headquarters in Dallas. After a couple of years, I transferred to the San Francisco office where I designed several residential towers in the city. In 2013, I transferred to our Los Angeles office where I’m currently working on The Edition Hotel and Residences and a 31-story condo tower in San Francisco.
Tell us the story of how you decided to start your own company.
The idea started after I transferred to Los Angeles. This office competed in a charity fashion competition where we designed and sewed a themed outfit out of upholstery fabrics and competed against other top firms. It reignited my love of sewing and I started making clothes for myself and for my family as gifts. I was getting a lot of compliments and my family suggested I start an Etsy store. As sales grew, I decided to create my own online boutique site as well as partner with a boutique in Oakland called Urban Stitch to carry some of my pieces.
What inspires you in creating your designs?
I’m inspired by timeless clean lines and bold structures in architecture. As a result, my line strives to balance classic silhouettes with high fashion trends. Also, being on the taller side with long limbs, I knew I wanted to offer custom sizes because I know it can be frustrating to find cute clothes that fit correctly.
Who is the woman that needs House of LVA? Who are you targeting with this brand?
The kind of woman that I am targeting is stylish and sophisticated with an edgy twist. She’s confident whether she’s in a velvet dress and heels or sweater shirt and ripped jeans.
What is your favorite design and why?
That’s a tough one, but I would have to say my Off the Shoulder Fur Jacket. It’s so unique and I love how the details turned out. Every time I wear it, I get tons of compliments.
What does a typical day look like for you? What do you like to do for yourself?
A typical day starts with me heading to my architectural firm to work my projects, go to meetings, and 3D-model my designs. Then I head to my studio to either work on orders or research and sketch out new designs. Since having a full-time day job and my line can be exhausting at times, I definitely make time to treat myself and decompress. I have monthly massages, which I schedule in advance to make sure I keep them, and I make time to catch up with my girls at least once a week.
Tell us about your journey to self-acceptance and embracing your height.
The first time I realized I was built differently than most girls was when I started cheering in high school. We all got measured for our uniforms and I ended up having the same inseam as my teammate that was the tallest girl on the team. Then I had a late growth spurt and I ended up being a few inches taller then my twin sister. When we would go shopping together we would inevitably pick the same things to try on. 9 times out of 10 they looked great on her but would be flooding on me. It wasn’t until I got to college that I found out I could get pants with a longer inseam and found brands that catered to taller women.
Do you have any parting words of advice for our Tall Sisters who might be struggling with their confidence?
Embrace your height, stand up tall, and let your light shine.
Thank you so much for sharing your story sis! You can stay tuned into House of LVA on Instagram, Facebook and off-course show via their main Website.
Xoxo
