In Conversation with Diala Dabbous
Tell us about your background:
Texas-born with Lebanese origins, I spent my childhood and teenage years traveling back and forth between America & Lebanon. Throughout my studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology, I developed an experimental attitude toward design, focusing on the human form and what it means to me. I constantly seek to discover new methods and techniques – pushing their typical limits to create a holistic design identity. Although my work has majorly revolved around menswear, I kept an open mind and enthusiasm to address new challenges.
- My grandma identified my artistic and fashion design skills way before I did– in fact, she gifted me my first sewing machine and taught me how to embroider. She got to see my most recent collection and couldn’t believe that the young girl that was once her student in embroidery was able to release a full collection in NYC.
- The first look I ever designed and made for men was a skirt with a colorful printed jacket. That was in a place where male gender roles were praised and protected, so designing a skirt to challenge that status quo generated a lot of criticism, which in turn fueled the fire within me to constantly challenge the toxic masculinity through the designs that I create!
- I am a SIMS fanatic! As a 90s kid, I grew up playing it on PC and the first PlayStation! My favorite part in the game is the ability to create characters and personalities through avatars. This has always inspired me to consider my body as a customizable avatar which reflects my personality at that time. Also, now whenever I create clothes, I make sure that it is a wide collection, worthy for any avatar!
What do you wish you’d known when you started out?
I wish someone pushed me to work on several important skills at a very young age and told me how important they are for my future career, such as sketching, pattern making and sewing. You get to your adulthood and realize that at this point in your life, you need to focus on developing other skill-sets. Trying to catch up on what should have been developed as a young person is too much to take on while developing other new skills. I also wish that someone told me how hard becoming a fashion designer and finding a job in the field would be. I might have studied graphic design as well and, in parallel, slowly developed fashion design skills.
Best career advice you've ever received?
Be patient.
What leadership qualities are important to you?
A leader should give a sense of team work, pushing everyone around them to do their best, put people at ease to ask questions and motivate them. A leader is someone who is able to read people and help them grow, empowering the team for good work.
What has been the biggest challenge in your career so far?
To find a job in fashion design. I've been working on myself for the past few years to find a place to start my career path. I am not sure if it's the industry that is tough or am I missing something in terms of skill.
And for fun, what is your favorite wardrobe staple?
That is a tough one. I have so many!!!! But if I had to choose one, it is my multicolored sweater. It is very cozy, has one red and one green sleeve, a yellow square on the chest part, black on the shoulders and dark blue is the rest of it. Styling it is always very easy, whether it is with jeans for a day outfit or with a skirt and stockings for a night out!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diala-dabbous/
Website: www.dialadabbous.com
Instagram: @ddabbstudio
