Jasmina TV took Vogue Adria on a journey through exciting shopping adventures

Anxiety. Sweaty palms. Avoiding eye-contact. For many of us, walking into a luxury store for the first time can be quite a mystifying experience. Do I have to buy something? What will the shop assistant think of me? Can I touch the clothes? There is an inherent feeling of exclusivity that surrounds the luxury shopping experience, and most brands would like to keep it that way. But what if we treated those stores just like we do a supermarket? A place where we have the right to walk freely. See, touch, feel. This is the modus operandi of Jasmina TV, a fashion-designer-cum-professional-shopper who is constantly sharing her shopping adventures via TikTok (@jasminatv) and Instagram (@jasmina.tv).

With an accumulated following of over 300,000, Jasmina (yes, she is mononymous just like Madonna and Cher) is joined in her videos by her bestie David Santa Maria as they roam through their favourite spots in Los Angeles and beyond, dissecting new collections and vintage gems with two sets of eagle eyes focused on even the smallest of details. What stands out most in their content is the unapologetic expression of self. Loud, opinionated and armed with an eclectic taste, they are pulling back the curtain on the absolute top of the fashion pyramid.

Immerse yourself in their world and you can catch Jasmina and David looking into the lining of one of André Leon Talley’s leatherChanel jackets, trying on a Loro Piana pillbox hat right off the mannequin and trotting around the store in the just-discounted Versace flats. With utmost respect for the pieces, they aren’t afraid of getting up close and personal while taking their audience along for the ride. “That’s just how I shop. I know about how a garment is made. I like to feel fabrics. I like to see the construction inside… whether I’m going to buy it or not. There is no fear in that. Although it took years to get there.” Jasmina notes. She worked on her shopping expertise and broke down the shame factor as a young designer in New York who went to stores for the purpose of research. “Today, I’m fearless when I go into a store. Why should I be scared of shopping?”

Jasmina first met her partner in style David while they both worked as designers at an independent brand. The duo connected through their love of shopping, and grew closer during their regular days out as they would grab lunch and browse through New York’s finest destinations. “These things that are now on TikTok, we were doing them anyways, except we weren’t filming ourselves,” remember David. Quickly, Jasmina breaks down a typical day. “We go to lunch, we have a drink, and then we shop it up. It’s so fun to go to a fancy department store where they have a fabulous restaurant, and then just go down and end up buying something. Or you don’t, whatever. But it’s a fun activity, you know?”

This ritual was in fact something that Jasmina had passed onto her from mother and grandmother. Born in Sarajevo, where she spent her early years before moving to Split, Jasmina cherished the weekends where the matriarchs of her family got together for a shopping day out. On top of that, her childhood relationship with her Barbie dolls was instrumental in building her love of fashion. “My grandma was a fabulous tailor, so she would take Burda patterns and make me and my dolls the same custom designs. I would say where to put the trim and help choose the fabrics… the whole process was very collaborative, and I felt a real sense of ownership of my style early on.” Playful, maximalists and colourful – her style today still comes across as a result of joyful childhood play while also reminiscing on the icons of a different generation, like Diana Vreeland, Zsa Zsa Gabor or Iris Apfel.

After moving to Los Angeles at the age of 10, Jasmina felt like a model of an Eastern European woman was instrumental in building what became her signature style. “I think of all these women that represent the most ‘diva’ thing you can be. Their nails and makeup are always done, as well as the perfect hair and fancy bags… very extra.” Though her early days of adapting in America felt challenging (“I couldn’t speak English and looked so different – I would wear little Mary Janes shoes and shirts with big collars, like the popular Ganni ones.”), the sensibility of her roots stayed present as a Northern star when establishing her love of colour and statement dressing.

This notion often creeps back into her videos, as Jasmina throws out spontaneous critiques of the outfits she’s trying on. “I’m really giving Eastern European!” she would shout out at David while trying on a fancy hat. Watching this duo on one of their sprees feels like eavesdropping on two fashion geeks, or like sitting down at an unscripted stand-up routine that mixes historic references with pop-culture moments into a highly entertaining mix.

Before establishing this successful format, they first started publishing long-form content on YouTube during the early days of the 2020 pandemic. It took over two years, over a 100 videos and refocusing on TikTok to actually get things going. “By this point, the shame of taping things and performing on camera in the middle of a store was completely gone,” Jasmina says.They were posting different kinds of fashion content onto the then-emerging social media platform, but it was the snappy capture of a fun shopping trip that blew up. “The first video that got people’s attention was one we filmed in a place called Tab Vintage. I don’t even know what made it different from everything else, but the audience really resonated with these archive, vintage, gorgeous pieces from fashion history that you can buy today.”

While they got kicked out of certain shops for trying to secretly film during their early days (“We had to do a lot of sneaky things!”), Jasmina and David have now built direct relationships with brands as they get calls from the stores to come and check out the new collections or special pieces. They have created digital campaigns for Moschino and have recently travelled to Paris to see Alessandro Michele’s haute couture debut at Valentino – unsurprising for inherent maximalists, they came back to LA with rave reviews. What are some other brands they love? “Schiaparelli jewellery is at the top of the shopping list,” as David, while Jasmina excitedly interjects. “Oh, and Demna’s Balenciaga, for sure! When he first came out, I was like: David, these are my Eastern European roots, I’m really feeling these vibes. It’s sarcastic and ironic, and over the years, I have built up quite a collection of it. I have the pink and black Crocs from the collaboration, but I’m still really chasing the pink ones.”

The duo is also currently working on developing a podcast that captures their point-of-views on fashion and that unique dynamic of fashion besties. What’s their advice for people who are looking to level up their shopping game? “The perfect shopping partner is someone who gets the vibe of what’s happening here today. Enjoying the lunch, enjoying the process of looking. Not being too focused on you or just thinking of themselves,” Jasmina says. Meanwhile, David urges you to avoid being impulsive in the process. “We really like to marinate on a decision before actually buying whatever it is that we’re into. Let it cook for at least an hour, and then come back to the store and see.”

Do they have any shopping regrets? “In Wasteland in LA, I found the perfect pair of printed vintage Vivienne Westwood jeans in my size. I wasn’t sure about them at that moment, but later looked at them online and the price was four times what they were in the store.” Incidentally, David’s missed style connection is also a pair statement trousers. “Versace, neon snake skin pants from 2017. I knew they weren’t going to be a frequent wear, but I regret not getting them because I feel like I still needed to have them. I think about them a lot.”

With no time for quiet luxury and boring subtleties, Jasmina and David belong to the kind of fashion tribe that leads rather than follows, paving their own neon-hued path forward. And like a fashion montage in your favourite noughties film (remember The Sweetest Thing?), their self-expression is a lesson in how much joy you can get once you let go of inhibitions and shame. Fashion is not just something to be looked at – so touch, feel, try it on and talk about it!

Never ones to gatekeep, David and Jasmina of Jasmina TV share their must-visit vintage shopping destinations in LA:

Lidow Archive, appointment only: “It’s an archive and clothing rental that is so over-the-top, playful and fun… so many shoes too! It’s basically a museum of Marc Jacobs Kiki boots.”

Timeless Vixen, 1100 S Beverly Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90035, United States: “One of John Galliano’s favorite vintage stores – and ours, too! Located in Beverly Hills with regular store hours, the curation is out of this world and even includes antique pieces which are so fabulous to see in person!”

Tab Vintage, appointment only: “Filled with some of the world’s best vintage, including special event pieces and an incredibly curated bridal section. Sabrina Carpenter wore a vintage Bob Mackie of theirs to the VMAs.”

Aralda Vintage, 2691 Beachwood Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90068, United States: “This is such a gem of a store, its location is by the Beachwood Cafe, made famous by Harry Styles. The store’s vibe is AbFab – so many fab classics like Lacroix, Comme des Garçons and Westwood.”

Wasteland, 7428 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046, United States: “As the staple of LA vintage shopping, they’ve been holding it down for decades on Melrose Ave and have recently expanded to other locations around the city, each reflecting the unique vibe of its zipcode… this is the place to hunt!”