Article and interview by Isa Simon, Los Angeles

Fearless visionary behind Poseur, Dominique Collin

After two decades traveling the world, streetwear fashion designer Dominique Collin settles down in Los Angeles, choosing iconic Venice Beach as her source of inspiration for relentless innovation, surrounded by local urban jungle of surfers and skateboarders.

Her clothing line echoes the challenges of assimilating in a society where conformity is the norm. Where else but to express the drumbeats of rebellion, the solace energy of nature, wind, sun and ocean in the urban jungle of Venice Beach’ skaters and surfers?

Before electrifying the L.A. underground scene with her bold and unapologetic urban wear, Dominique, tenacious founder and visionary behind Poseur, spent part of her formative years in Africa, in Zaire. A pivotal chapter in her youth: the deep cultural influences and ever-changing African landscapes nestled her taste for warmth and vibrancy in her spiritually infused designs and nomadic mindset.

“Poseur: where design meets defiance, and fashion becomes a canvas for authenticity. Conformity was never my style.”

— Dominique Collin

Honoring her Belgian roots, Dominique learned her craft at the prestigious Haute Ecole Francisco Ferrer in Brussels. Follows several years of formation travelling Europe, Canada and the United States. As a child, she was fascinated by her mother’s sewing machine and uncovered the secrets of creating a beautiful dress or a funky hat, while she would sneak into her father’s atelier on Sundays to put her hands on all tools; she would build small cabinets or frames, forecasting her early designer days. Dominique was born with an innate talent for creativity, she had fashion written in her DNA.

Her signature is bold and unapologetic: it’s the Venice raw energy echoing the waves of the surfers, fly high skateboarders and punk culture. Her creation process, that includes hand-crafted print, vibrates to the rhythm of street art and tales of urban rebellion. Dominique crafts one-of-a-kind pieces by repurposing high-quality, and often rare, vintage jackets, turning each creation into a distinctive statement of individuality and freedom.

Poseur reflects the concrete jungle, with an eco-conscious material, made in LA, where every stitch is hand etched. No allure of cheap, mass-produced fashion from distant shores. A unique concept all made in Venice Beach: conception, choice of material, marketing and distribution.

“Poseur is my declaration: A commitment to community, a pledge to stand against the tide of soulless consumerism.”

— Dominique Collin

Every garment is a canvas, a rebellion painted on fabrics woven from the threads of American defiance.

“A love affair with the ocean, the rebellious beats of punk that had always coursed through my veins. Music is part of my creative process: urban music such as Punk, New Wave, Gothic, SKA, it translates into Poseur’ values of rebellion, attitude, freedom, individuality.”

— Dominique Collin

How does your Philosophy drive your Creative Process?

Poseur Spirit: Watch the hand printing process at work

Being very organized is prime in the creative designing process. When I give new life to exclusive vintage pieces, the materials need to be chosen carefully. Cutting, stitching, printing; in other words, it’s about giving energy and bringing new soul to sustainable clothing. It’s all in my mind, and I need the right environment to transform my vision into reality. My creativity becomes alive at night and weekends.

Weekends bring the eclectic crowd: flying high skateboarders, early riser surfers, the noise of ocean waves crashing the shore. The urban jungle. The vibrant energy hits you from everywhere: the heat of the sun, the deep blue Pacific, surfer boards all colors, it’s an all-around inspiration moving around me.

Music has a special place in my heart. Venice in the 1980s had bands playing music blend of hardcore punk / thrash metal hybrid. The hardcore punk band, known as Suicidal Tendencies was very popular in the eighties.

Morning surfer looking upon popular Venice Breakwater

The Venice Beach Culture: Music, Skaters & Surfers

Dominique’s entrepreneurial spirit has deep-rooted connections to Venice Beach local music scene, Venice’s punk rock culture, most notably local band Suicidal Tendencies- who quickly rose to international stardom.

Free-spirit Venice Beach has long been home for hippies, underground musicians, beach bodybuilding, surfing, skateboarding. Its popular and urban sports culture is prime: the city will host surfing and 3x3 basketball during the 2028 Summer Olympics. The aggressiveness of Venice’s skate and surf culture was a perfect complement to the punk-rock movement, and both scenes flourished. Venice is largely credited as being the birthplace of modern skateboarding, originally known as sidewalk surfing.

The 70’s saw the emergence of skateboarding with The Z-Boys, Zephyr Skate Team, formed in Venice and Santa Monica. The Z-Boys were originally surfers; they brought a surfing-inspired style to skateboarding, emphasizing aggressive, low-to-the-ground maneuvers, vertical skating, and pool riding. They helped transform skateboarding from a casual pastime into a highly technical and competitive sport. And, in 2009, after many years of local figures’ activism, the famed Venice Skate Park opened on the beach.

Community Impact & Collaborations

A recent meet up at Wolf & Badger:

A special treat from Dominique for the community. Use the following code for discounts purchases on Poseur website, remember part of your purchase goes towards the Venice Surf Association, which works with the community on different programs.

Code DOGTOWN, 20% discount on the entire website www.poseurla.com

“Poseur LA is a brand that stands out not only for its aesthetics and the quality of its products, but also for its commitment to ethical and sustainable practices. I have long looked for a brand that has the desire to reduce its environmental impact while offering high quality clothing. In addition to this ecological commitment, Poseur LA makes it a point of honor to produce its collections in the United States, guaranteeing fair working conditions and fair wages for its craftsmen. This responsible approach places the brand at the forefront of conscious fashion, combining style, ethics and respect for the environment. For those looking to invest in clothing that is trendy, quality and respectful of people and the planet, Poseur LA is a must-have!”

— Mickael, a client and brand ambassador