Meet Kim Blessing & Delena Mobley, the owners of dom+bomb in Spokane, Washington.
dom+bomb is on a mission to fight fatphobia and the gender binary through fashion. After witnessing the lack of cute, sustainable clothing options for plus-sized individuals, Kim and Delena decided to launch their own gender and size-inclusive clothing brand. They opened dom+bomb in 2020, offering ethically produced clothing in sizes 5XL-XS along with accessories, tailoring, and personal styling.
Kim and Delena want their store to be a safe place for people to express their authentic selves without fear of judgment. Their clothing is designed with quality and longevity in mind so you can continue rocking your fit for years to come. With a myriad of inclusive, stylish options, you’re sure to walk out with something you feel amazing in.
Bonus: Need something altered? dom+bomb offers tailoring, mending, and upcycling services – stop by their website to schedule an appointment!
Learn more about dom+bomb in this week’s business spotlight Q&A!
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
What’s your favorite part about the community your business is in & why?
We serve the BIPOC, queer, and plus-size communities – particularly where they intersect. Our favorite part is the relationships we’ve built with individuals, including clients, models, and nonprofit organizations. We recently had a model tell us, “I want to live in the world you are creating.” We’ve worked hard to create a business and physical place where people of all sizes, shapes, and genders come in and feel celebrated. There is nothing like the joy of helping someone feel like their true selves through fashion.
The support we have received from the community has been overwhelming. We partner with local LGBTQIA+ organizations, and we’ve been able to help dozens of trans and gender-nonconforming people for little or no cost. We recently completed a photo shoot with models who were all queer, fat, or both. The photographer for the photo shoot donated all of her time for the shoot and post-production editing because she believes so much in our mission and values.
Why is it important to you and your business that people #SpendLikeItMatters?
Because of our limited capital and small sectors, we have to be innovative and sustainable. As a fashion brand, we understand the importance of ethically producing clothing. The fashion industry is one of the most harmful industries for the planet. Small fashion brands are leading the way to reducing that harm by making sure workers are paid well and work in safe conditions, clothes are repurposed, and the production process is better for the planet.
To grow as a business, you have to build your business model around what is happening in the world and respond quickly. Small businesses are better for the local community because dollars spent are kept in the community and better for the world because they can help reduce the harm caused by larger corporations.
As a business owner, what’s the strangest or craziest idea you’ve ever tried?
When we began working on our business full-time in 2021, we knew we needed to create our own size chart to address the inconsistencies of sizing in the fashion industry. We sent out a call for fit models – people who would provide their measurements and try on our clothing to give us feedback. We received 20 responses in the first week, and we currently have over 70 fit models. Every single fit model has shared their stories with us – stories of transition, aging, trauma-inducing shopping, fashion design dreams, and divorce. The fit model relationship has become so much more than just trying on clothes.
What’s something your customers may not know about you or your business?
Everyone who comes into our boutique feels the magic. We are a vibe. We compliment everyone who comes in, and we have curated our collection based on what our clients and models have told us they need.
What are some of your favorite local businesses and why?
In Spokane, we love Koala Koi Massage, Chicana Esthetics, and Inter-tribal Beauty. We are building a coalition of BIPOC-owned businesses in the beauty and wellness space that share our values. Each of these business care about their clients deeply and provide spaces where anyone can be taken care of and thrive.
Anything else you’d like us to know about you and your business?
We design our own clothes, and we carefully curate pieces from other small fashion brands. Through this curation, we support other Black-owned and queer-owned businesses. All of the brands we work with share our values, and we vet partners carefully to make sure they ethically produce their products as well. Along with wholesale purchases, we have collaborated with jewelry makers and leather designers to offer size-inclusive accessories along with our clothing.