Meet Yashica Topalovic | FRANCES TAYLOR-Fashion Designer & Stylist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Yashica Topalovic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Yashica, how has your background shaped the person you are today?
Being a mulata from a small town El Centro, Ca & Mexicali, BC had its blessings & challenges! I look African American but carried myself as a Mexi-CAN! A chocolate covered Mexican is what I called myself. We were raised by our single mother & so I knew absolutely nothing about the rest of my roots which had me feeling lost & confused. I was too dark to be Mexican yet too Mexican to be Black still I yearned to meet the other half of my family. Sometime in the 90’s when I was a teenager, my grandmother from my father’s side FRANCES TAYLOR reached out to us. Prior to the call, for years she had sent holiday cards & letters to my mother but that day I finally had the chance to hear her voice. She sounded like she was heaven sent! She was proper, southern & confident. A kind of tone & poise I had never heard before which had me intrigued from that point on. My mother then started telling me stories about her elegance & mannerisms. As she’s telling me these wonderful stories about her she brought out a pile of clothes that belonged to my grandmother. “Mija, this cropped coat was from the 70’s which she gave me right before we left Georgia, then these embroidered pumps she gifted me never fit so hopefully you can fit into them 1 day!” she said. That was the first time I had ever layed my eyes & hands on luxury garments. I was on cloud nine, always day dreaming about creating such garments & meeting my grandmother! Soon after, we received a call that she had passed away & so as a teenager I promised myself that I would have a clothing line named after her, FRANCES TAYLOR!

My sisters & I spent most of our childhood in women’s shelters, family members homes & even spent the night at a Taco Bell. Meanwhile my mother struggled with her demons, I had to think of ways to keep us all safe. When I wasn’t thinking of us which was rare I was designing clothes & reconstructing old garments. Taking the t-shirts we received as donations & tearing them apart adding my FRANCES TAYLOR touch. Once I turned 17 I left my moms & moved around from home to home. One of those homes being with my aunt Eva Lopez-Beltran a.k.a. my guardian angel who introduced me to the sewing machine. Oh mylanta I fell deeper in love with fashion! Thank you Tia

Because of my beautiful home town, because of my curiosity to learn more about my background, because of my determination & resilience & because of guardian angels here on Earth I am who I am today & for that I am beyond grateful!

Who am I? I’m a fashion designer, stylist & boutique owner. I’m part of the council for the SDBCC-Emerging Leaders. I’m an indomitable women, wife & mother!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I remember sitting in front of the tv when I was 7 years old playing with my Barbies & watching I LOVE LUCY thinking “Wow I want my Barbie to wear what Lucy is wearing!” So I started sewing by hand then I began taking things apart from my very own closet or my mother’s yard sale piles. Years later I was taught how to use a sewing machine which was a challenge in itself, sheesh!!!!!!!

I consider myself a self taught fashion designer & stylist which has been a magical yet turbulent journey. I can now say that I’m a storefront boutique owner who has been featured in Fashion Week San Diego 2023, Teddy Ball, CBS News, Sotheby’s Avant-Garde New York City, Vanguard San Diego, San Diego International Film Festival VIP Runway Show, IndyFest Runway Show & more! I’d describe my designs as edgy, sexy yet classy. Imagine the vintage Lucille Ball look meets Rihanna’s style, those are my designs! They scream out “Today I’ll be daring & elegant!”

Before I started selling or even considered selling my garments I was styling a lot of local models as a collaboration. I upgraded to getting my IG account @francestaylor.yt & I purchased business cards which made me think I was official. That wasn’t the case at all! It took years of collabs, events, networking, designing, learning how to sew difficult fabrics & even money wasted on nonsense tools. I set goals to attend networking & vendor events multiple times a month. As well as introducing myself & my designs to boutiques in hopes that they would pick up my line or at least a few garments.

The key is don’t stop learning, don’t stop creating, don’t stop networking, DON’T STOP FULFILLING YOUR DREAMS & MANIFESTING!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
We’d start off in my hometown at Diosa Cantina in the Imperial Valley. Then head to my cousins house to spend some family quality time. After a few laughs we’d head out to UTC Mall, not so much for shopping, well maybe just a little but to have an appetizer at every single restaurant there especially at the Din Tai Fung. We’d happily call an Uber a.k.a. my husband “I love you” & he would take us to La Divina in Barrio Logan for their Tuna Tar Tar & some live music. Then I’d take her to my boutique & introduce her to all of my talented neighbors at the ART HUB. By this time it’s getting a little late so we’d stroll over to BORDER X BREWING for their traditional Micheladas & loteria night!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
To my husband Jasko “Volim Te” & the Topalovic Family, thank you for making me part of the Bosnian family
To my children Ismet & Frances, you are my UNIVERSE! Mama is beyond proud of you
To my sister Yavaughn & best friend thank you for always keeping me on my toes, making me smile & for your love & support
To my “Tia” Eva Lopez Beltran thank you for ALWAYS being there for us even when you had so much on your plate already
To the VItelas Thank you, thank you thank you for everything
To my besties Lillian, Mairah & Sarah I’m truly blessed to endure such unique friendships
To my grandparents (mother & fathers side) I miss you dearly
Cheers to all the magic we’ve created with collaborations, models, photographers, hair stylists, MUA, runway producers, The Consult HQ, store fronts, San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce-Emerging Leaders, Art Hub Barrio Logan & Pushkin Lounge
To my hometown EL CENTRO, Ca, MEXICALI, BC you have my heart!!

Website: https://francestaylor.shop

Instagram: @francestaylor.yt

Linkedin: Yashica Topalovic

Facebook: Frances Taylor

Other: FRANCES TAYLOR Boutique
Address:
2151 Logan Ave Suite I
San Diego, Ca 92113

Image Credits
Images:
B. Towner Photography
Fashion Week San Diego
CalBec.Events/Visuals
JOrdan Woodley