LOST IN TRANSLATION
Hi, I'm Ariana Domínguez. Born and raised in Caracas. As I always say, más venezolana que la cachapa o que la arepa llanera, and if you know, you know.
I left once for Mexico, spent two years there, and I've been in the United States for five and a half now. That makes me an immigrant, which mostly means I carry Venezuela everywhere I go and hand pieces of it to everyone I meet, whether they asked for it or not.
Especially my wife. She doesn't speak Spanish, so teaching her our dichos, our slang, our whole way of talking with our hands and our eyebrows has become one of my favorite things in the world. Half of what comes out of my mouth doesn't translate, and watching her get it anyway is kind of the whole point. That's where the name comes from. Here, lost in translation isn't the problem. It's the fun part.
I started this for two reasons.
One: I've always wanted a streetwear brand where I could make whatever was in my head, no permission needed. This is that.
Two, and this one matters more: the earthquakes back home aren't a one-time headline. Rebuilding will take years, and I wanted a way to keep sending help consistently, not just once. So $5 from every single piece goes to I Love Venezuela Foundation for relief in Venezuela. Not "a portion." Not "proceeds." Five dollars, every order, and I'll show you the receipts.
And honestly? Venezuela is everywhere right now. We're all over the world. I thought, what a funny, beautiful way to show people what we're actually like. Our sayings, our humor, the ones your abuela used that make no sense word-for-word and perfect sense to anyone from home. Every piece carries one: the saying up front, what it really means, and the version that lands in English. A little piece of Venezuela you can wear, and someone always asks.
WHY WE GIVE
In June, two earthquakes hit Venezuela. Over 1,700 lives lost, thousands still displaced. We build this brand around the words and memories of home, so it wouldn't make sense to profit from home and look away when it's hurting.
$5 from every piece in this collection goes directly to I Love Venezuela Foundation. Not "a portion." Not "proceeds." Five dollars, every shirt, every time, and we'll show you the receipts when the drop closes.
Words change. Meanings don't. Neither does where I'm from.
— Ariana