On Our Radar: Dee by Dalia
Emerging designer Dalia Ali, of Palestinian and Lebanese origins, was born and raised in the UAE; and while she may have begun a promising career in finance, she soon abandoned it for one in fashion. Known for her feminine bow and off-the-shoulder styles, Ali recently produced a tightly edited sailor-inspired collection that caught our eye. Style.com/Arabia takes a closer look.
ON TRANSITIONING FROM FINANCE TO FASHION
I first started out as a stylist; I had some media contacts and I did a couple of magazine shoots and some jobs for e-commerce stores. After a few months, I realized that I wanted to make clothes and decided to go to school to learn the basics.
ON LONDON COLLEGE OF FASHION
I was taught how to think outside the box, how to sketch, and how to choose and play with fabric. It was a fun experience because I always loved clothes, but I didn’t know how to do clothes.
ON HER FIRST BREAK
When I started my courses, I did a small collection and it was picked up by Sauce boutique. I didn’t have any inside contacts either. I sent an email to “info” and my work was chosen. I also did a small launch at my place, and the entire collection was sold out in three days. That really gave me a hint that maybe I had something that the Dubai market didn’t.
ON INVESTING IN HERSELF
Afterwards, I noticed that every time I wore something, tons of people would come up to me and ask what I was wearing. With each new compliment I received, I got increasingly eager to expand my brand. This is where I actually started to take my work really seriously. I made a website and I got my office at D3.
