21 Questions with... Fashion Entrepreneur David Helwani

We ask David Helwani, the founder of Twenty Tees and LaPina by David Helwani, our quickfire questions.

When I get dressed in the morning I think… I try not to think about it too much actually.
I would never leave my apartment without… my iPhone.
The item of clothing I’m currently wearing most is… 3×1 denim.
The qualities I look for when hiring people include… honesty, hard work, dedication and ambition. These all have to come in a bundle that is wrapped with intelligence, of course, but those are the four keys to our company’s success.
If my days had one extra hour I’d… probably be in brick and mortar stores more often. I’m able to see what’s going on to a certain degree through e-commerce, but there’s a whole different experience when you see the pieces up close.
The last thing I Googled was… my brother’s name, Ariel Helwani, to see his latest sportscast.
When I’m looking to de-stress I… stalk my Miami contingents’ Instagram profiles, then book a flight to meet them for the weekend.
My beauty essentials include… not much going on here. I do use my new favorite Suavecito Hair Pomade, which is probably the best brand name I’ve ever heard.
When shopping for dresses I think it’s important for women to remember… to not only focus on the objective perception of the dress and how people will perceive you in it. It’s as important, if not more, to feel confident in the dress because that will show through whatever you’re wearing.
When shopping for everyday basics, I think it’s important for women to remember… fit and comfort. I think our Twenty Tees line does an incredible job of encompassing both of these elements, particularly with our twenty 4/SEVEN essential tees.
I would never travel without… my iPad. It has saved me on countless Air Canada and American Airlines delays.
My favorite place to shop is… when I’m shopping for a female, I would have to say Intermix. When I’m shopping for my own wardrobe, my default is usually Barneys New York.
I was most excited to see this celebrity in one of my pieces… Sarah Jessica Parker. She’s transcended her celebrity status and become a style icon making her choice to wear our designs that much more meaningful.
On a typical Saturday night I… generally go somewhere downtown for dinner with some friends and continue to a lounge in the area for a drink (that’s if the Knicks aren’t playing in NY of course).
My guilty pleasure is… Cadbury eggs. I stock up during Easter to last me for months.
I think every woman should own… one of our LaPina by David Helwani dresses for that perfect night out and a wardrobe filled with Twenty Tees to keep her comfortably edgy during the days.
The best advice I ever got was… be passionate about what you do and the success will come. My parents always preached love for your career instead of monetary pursuits because they knew that if we cared enough about what we were doing the rest would fall into place accordingly. They were right.
My biggest fashion pet peeve is… washed out black leggings.
The key to being a successful entrepreneur… is to follow what you know and to stay focused on one area before expanding into ancillary portions.
Some of my favorite people to follow on social media include… Pharrell Williams, Izabel Goulart, Colette and Ariel Helwani.
What keeps me excited about my job is that… fashion is so ever evolving that everyday is completely different. I don’t think I was ever cut out for a regular 9-5 so this type of fast paced lifestyle fits me to a tee. Get it? Jeez…