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Things I Can't Live Without: Lavetta Willis

Every entrepreneur has a dream. Lavetta Willis says hers is to avoid speaking to anyone for 10 days.

By Liz Welch | 
 

Lavetta Willis, CEO of LL International Shoe Company, Los Angeles

A former basketball star at Notre Dame, Lavetta Willis has long strived to unite her two passions: sports and fashion. Willis, 37, created a line of women's sportswear before co-founding LL International Shoe Company, in 1998, to make sneakers. Since then, her brand, Dada Footwear, has launched styles adorned with trendy details like rhinestones and graffiti. One shoe, dubbed Code M, even contains an MP3 player and speakers. Last year, sales reached $15 million.

Geisha jacket
"Trina Turk's suits are elegant and comfortable. I'm 6 feet tall, and she's one of the few designers whose clothes fit my long limbs."
$348, trinaturk.com

Cindi golf bag
"I golf a few times a month. Last fall, I played in a tournament. My score wasn't that great, but I did win a prize for best golf bag."
$295, kerigolf.com

Vintage sunglasses
"These are big, retro, and fabulous. I like vintage accessories, because each piece has a story. I go to vintage shops on La Brea Avenue."
About $300, amrag.com

What I Covet

Vipassana meditation retreat
"It's a 10-day retreat where you learn Vipassana meditation. There are no phones, no books, no computer, and no talking. I feel like that would bring me to a place of peace and discovery. I've wanted to go to one of these retreats in Northern California for more than five years, but I can't ever seem to get away."
Free, dhamma.org

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    • Liz Welch

    Liz Welch is a National Magazine Award-winning journalist who has written for The New York Times, Real Simple, Glamour, and Inc., among other publications. She is the co-author with her siblings of the recent book The Kids Are All Right, a highly-regarded memoir of her childhood.


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