About Dancing Kind – Our Story & Slow-Fashion Values
DANCING KIND was born out of the love for sharing the art of playing dress up through storytelling + dance. Proudly WOC owned and founded by Richelle Navales-Yau. We are a slow-fashion, sustainable women’s clothing brand rooted in culture, craftsmanship, and intention. Our hope is to continually grow DANCING KIND into a special space of authenticity and vulnerability, crafting designs that tell stories of journey: who we are, where we came from, and where we are going.
Our in-house garments are joyfully and thoughtfully designed by Richelle and sustainably handmade in small batches by extremely skilled artisans in order to ensure that dancing kind of feeling, inside and out. While we produce the majority of our clothing in Los Angeles, we are responsibly and proudly partnering with other family owned businesses abroad. Each piece reflects our commitment to ethical production, natural fibers, and timeless wardrobe staples for real women.
Our dream is to deepen our connections and roots with women owned and/or family owned businesses in the Philippines because of the sacred space this beautiful country holds with our Filipina-American founder. As a young girl growing up in a world that told her white was better, Richelle continues to unravel a deep understanding and appreciation for her roots, for where her family's story began. This cultural lineage deeply informs our approach to design, craftsmanship, and the sustainable fashion practices we stand behind.
Dancing Kind believes in actively combating the stigma/racism that is often placed with garments handcrafted in non-western countries. We believe some of the world's most excellent artisans, sewers, designers, and creatives come from the countries of our ancestors (in this case, we feel this deeply when it comes to the Philippines). Our slow production partners share our values of fair wages, ethical labor practices, natural materials, and respect for skilled localized craft. We proudly partner directly with family-owned businesses located in Los Angeles, Jaipur, and Manila for our slow production. No matter the location, we only choose partnerships with other businesses and individuals whose ethos is in alignment with our own. We believe in fair wages and excellent working conditions for all people.
Dancing Kind is a small label currently running on either small batch productions or on a made-to-order basis in order to avoid waste. This intentional approach defines our identity as a responsible slow-fashion brand focused on low-waste, handcrafted garments. We are a slow fashion brand, which often translates into higher costs of production because of the fabrics we choose, the people we partner with, and the smaller quantities we produce. We only use natural fibers (no plastics in our clothes, please). Every in-house garment has been thoughtfully designed and connected with a personal story, a season, a dance, and a purpose. Our collection is created for mothers, creatives, and women seeking sustainable clothing that feels good, lasts long, and honors the people who made it. Dancing Kind strives to live in our joy in all that we do, and we hope that you leave feeling like it's a dancing kind of day.
Take your time. Be present. Do your happy dance.