Dalia El Nidany was fated for a career that involves designing dreamy gowns; her earliest memories were those of her sketching dresses as a little girl. She dreamed of becoming a fashion designer, but never envisioned her dream would turn into a reality.
Based in Kuwait, the 26-year-old Egyptian designer and founder of ‘Dalia El Nidany’ Couture works in the advertising and media field, yet her dream was always tugging her toward designing her very first dress. The opportunity finally presented itself when she decided to design her own dress to attend her best friend’s wedding. From there, the rest was history. She went on to attend the London College of Fashion, and armed with her newfound knowledge and lifelong passion, Dalia delivers us with gowns that make women fall in love all over again, upon setting their eyes on one of her creations.
She told bazaar, “When I sit back and think about the number of years and all the hard work it took to make this dream come true, I still have to take a moment to let it all sink in. With the launch of the new line, there’s a new form of responsibility and a busy schedule. I’m happiest when I’m extremely busy!” Dalia currently designs custom-made gowns and ready to wear pieces, and a bridal line is also in the works.
A typical consultation with Dalia to design the dress of your dreams would involve setting an appointment with the designer. She said, “I’d meet the client and ask questions to get to know more about the event itself and try to tap into her personality to learn more about what she loves and how she wants to feel wearing this dress. That’s when the magic happens and I put my ideas to paper. Another form of consultation would involve the clients contacting me directly to ask about a dress that is already displayed online, and I then try to arrange to recreate the design in their size, if I don’t have a piece already available on hand.”
Designer Interview
Does fashion ‘make’ the person or does the person ‘make’ fashion?
The person makes fashion, definitely. I believe that fashion is all about the way you put something together and what you want to express to the world by the way you dress.
How would you describe your style?
Elegant, sophisticated, dreamy and feminine. I love designing evening gowns that are different. My aim is to ensure women feel special wearing my designs.
How do you get inspiration for your style?
I get inspiration from everything beautiful around me. The beach, gardens, flowers, music and traveling, inspires me. I love lying in bed at night when it’s so peaceful and quiet and sketching designs in my mind. I often dream of designs too and sketch them when I wake up.
What does it take to become a style innovator?
I think that it is my love for fashion, that seems to have rubbed off onto me from my mother, who always had and still does have beautiful taste, pushed me toward innovating in my field.
What’s exciting right now in fashion?
Lace and organza are clearly the latest trends in evening gowns.
Who or what has been your greatest fashion influence?
I always loved elegant women from the golden age such as Souad Hosny, Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. They had impeccable taste and wore beautiful gowns!
Who are your favorite emerging designers, and what is it that you love about them?
I love Yasmine Yeya’s designs – her wedding gowns are truly one of a kind.
What is the highlight of your ‘style’ career so far?
The highlight of my career is a black off shoulder evening gown I designed. So many women sent me asking for the same dress.
Every fashionality has as a style obsession, what’s yours?
I’m obsessed with flowers! Whether it be fabric with a floral print, floral lace, handmade flowers, everything…
Do you follow any fashion influencers (Instagram/Blogs etc)? If so, who are they and which would you recommend?
Definitely, I follow a lot of fashion influencers but there’s no particular person I recommend.
What item of clothing (if any) do you wish that people wore more often?
Dresses, dresses and more dresses! 😉
To be stylish is to be fashionable. True or False and why?
True, it’s important to be stylish and fashionable because knowing the latest fashion trends is not enough, you need to be able to style it in a way that suits your figure and personality.
You can follow Dalia El Nidany’s work on Instagram @daliaelnidany and Facebook: DaliaElNidanyFashion. For appointments and consultations, please email daliaelnidany@gmail.com.
