In 1980, at just eight years old, Franklin immigrated to the United States from El Salvador with his mother, brother, and sisters as war refugees. His mother worked tirelessly as a seamstress in downtown Los Angeles, often taking extra work home late into the night. It was at her side that Franklin first learned to sew, helping her so she could rest a little earlier.
After years of odd jobs and self-discovery, Franklin returned to sewing at 25—not just as a skill, but as a form of self-expression. His first creations, playful tank tops for nights out with friends, revealed the transformative power of clothing and sparked his entrepreneurial spirit.
Franklin’s journey led him to build his first company, Hot Sauce, from his mother’s garage, later employing over two dozen people. While successful, it wasn’t until he co-founded Dress The Population in 2011 that he realized his true dream: creating sophisticated dresses that women could wear to feel extraordinary. Within five years, his designs were carried by major retailers, including Neiman Marcus, and his team grew to 190 employees. One defining moment came when Franklin saw a woman walk into Bottega Louie in downtown LA wearing one of his dresses—his dream realized.
In 2020, Franklin walked away from Dress The Population during one of the hardest years of his life. With the support of his husband, family, and friends, he found the strength to start anew.
Helsi was born not just as a fashion line, but as a dedication to women everywhere—to be independent, confident, ambitious, and unafraid to take chances. For Franklin, every dress is a poem to women like his mother, whose strength and perseverance shaped his life and work.
