Oh That’s You! sat down with the designer and creator of UNH Turbands, Jaqueleen Larson, to learn about the company and see what’s in store for the turban brand:

Before she took the first sips of her chai tea latte, we noticed our outfits were practically mirror images of one another – think polka dots and denim. Let’s face it, the girl has good taste. ; ) 

Another match, Jaqueleen’s personality, bubbly as it is unique, goes perfectly hand in hand with her unconventionally chic turban line.

The turband line (turban + headband) was a direct result of a last minute, DIY, craft experiment to amp up her New Year’s Eve getup and to play with her, as she would describe, “seriously crazy hair”.

“I literally needed something to wear for New Year’s Eve 2010. I love headbands and I had seen turbans in the recent Prada collection. I thought a turban could be something cool and different.”

We have to say, it was a success.

Soon after ringing in the new year, Jaqueleen started making the turbans for her friends and eventually created an online store.

She learned early on that not everyone was willing to experiment with fashion quite like her.

“Originally people wanted them thinner,” she explained. “They would say I like this print, if only it was thinner. So I started to make thinner versions. Then they started to become trendy and people were like do you have this in a chunkier version? It’s hilarious.”

Jaqueleen reminisced on the days when the line was just starting. The days when Ms. Larson sewed every turban herself. “I remember our first photo shoot. I used (my friend) Gabi as my model at (my other friend) Katie’s house in Palm Springs.”

It is truly crazy how far the brand has come in two short years.

“I collaborated with one of my designer friends Amanda Thomas (of Luv AJ) for her FW2011 collection and things really took off from there.” Shortly after that Jaqueleen was put into a designer boot camp of sorts. Now she is a full-blown designer with a manufacturer, taking orders of over a hundred at a time. Something she never imagined.

UNH Turbands is now located in boutiques in the greater Los Angeles area, online, as well as abroad in places such as Malaysia.

As for Larson’s style, “I love wearing anything that is outrageous or over the top or makes people stare or even whisper behind my back,” she explained. She gets her inspirations from sportswear and channels looks from her favorite designer, Alexander Wang.

She also has a true fashionista mentality in that she believes people should wear whatever makes them happy. “I love wearing anything that is fun or puts a smile on someone’s face. I hate when people say ‘I can’t pull that off.’” We at OTY would have to agree.

For the turban timid, Jaqueleen has put together three killer outfits to match with her creations (see below). And check out more of her personal style on her instagram @UNHTURBANDS where she often posts snap shots of her differing day to day looks.

What’s next on the turban agenda?

As their first collaboration sold out, UNH Turbands and Luv AJ are working on a second line together, exclusively for a “hush, hush” (as Jaqueleen would say) brand. Details to come, but let’s just say, it is one of my all time favorites.

She is also starting her holiday collection. “I’m going to downtown L.A. tomorrow to pick up fabric” she says, teasing me with the ideas of velvet and school girl plaids. I could literally see the wheels turning in the young designer’s head, it was beautiful.

Turbans aside, handbags might be the next items on the UNH agenda. “I can see a lot of the fabrics I use for a clutch.” In fact, she made her first clutch recently using a turkish blanket and pom poms from her travels, an experience she deemed as “comical”.

Deja vu? We wouldn’t be surprised if this crafting moment turned into the same success as her twisted head wear did. See the clutch below. The only follow up question I have is, “When can we buy one?”

Well that’s a wrap. Get ready fashion world, Jaqueleen Larson has arrived.