Page 23 - #200 June/July 2025

INTERVIEW

allows her to focus on how each piece
feels as much as how it looks.
“It’s about that emotional moment
when you zip up a dress and feel
incredible,” she says. “Even our simplest
styles are built with the same care,
Success isn’t just about from corsetry and lining to beading and
sales. It’s about how zip quality. I want every woman who
we make people feel — wears a Merabi piece to feel her best.”
With a flagship store in London’s
internally and externally. Mayfair that has been open for around

Nadine Merabi eight months now and products in
Nordstrom and Selfridges, NADINE
MERABI has become a direct-to-con -
sumer success story. Yet international
expansion has been organic. The US
Nadine Merabi, South Molton Street, London, UK
now accounts for around 50 per cent
Empowering and While she is intrigued by Asia and

other regions, this may come in the
Celebrating Women future as for now her expansion will
remain thoughtful and aligned with
brand values, taking into account
past experiences.
Beginning life on a kitchen table in A strong female-led culture anchors
Manchester, to dressing the world’s most the brand. Merabi is candid about the
confident women, Nadine Merabi has painful lessons learned during a rapid
emerged as one of the fashion industry’s most growth period that temporarily compro-
mised customer service and brand expe-
compelling figures. Her eponymous brand rience. From that, she emerged more
has become synonymous with empowerment, committed than ever to protecting team
meticulous craftsmanship and unapologetic glamour. In this culture and growing sustainably.
“Success isn’t just about sales. It’s
exclusive interview, Merabi shares her journey from self-taught about how we make people feel both
designer to global fashion force. internally and externally. Our team
culture, our purpose and our values are
erabi’s foray into fashion was were not without their challenges. non-negotiable.”
Manything but conventional. A None more striking than the global Merabi also understands the power
former international hockey player pandemic, which essentially wiped of community. From the early days of
turned events entrepreneur, she out occasionwear demand across the gifting dresses to influencers when
initially taught herself to sew out of world overnight. Rather than pivot to she had no budget for advertising, to
necessity, as she wanted a dress that loungewear like many of her contem- building a loyal global following online,
was neither prohibitively expensive poraries, Merabi remained true to her social commerce remains integral.
nor indistinguishable from high street brand’s DNA. She used the downtime Her London flagship serves not just
options. That simple desire sparked a to innovate within her category, intro- as a store but as a hub for community
journey that would evolve into a label ducing partywear, statement tailoring events, interviews and activations that
now recognised for bold designs and and her now-iconic feathered silk bring the brand to life.
luxurious finishes. pyjamas that have gone on to became of sales, driven by demand for both With plans underway to expand into new
“I wasn’t planning on building a fash - unexpected bestsellers and remain a modern bridalwear and bold state- categories and explore selective collab-
ion empire,” Merabi reflects. “I just solid performer years later. ment pieces. As she looks to the future, orations, the next chapter of NADINE
wanted to create something that made “COVID was our make-or-break the Founder has her sights set on the MERABI’s journey is well underway.
me feel good and when others started moment,” she admits. “But instead of Middle East next in markets like the At its heart, NADINE MERABI is more
asking where my dresses were from, panicking, we leaned into creativity UAE and Saudi Arabia, where Merabi’s than fashion. It is a movement that cele-
I realised I could make other women and stayed disciplined. That period Lebanese heritage can resonate with brates confidence, self-expression and
feel just as confident. Ten years on and taught me the power of conviction.” consumers who appreciate elevated craftsmanship. As she puts it: “I don’t
this sole purpose remains the same, to Creativity, Merabi says, is instinc- design and quality. just sell dresses, I sell a feeling.”
celebrate and empower women.” tive. She eschews formal training, “We have done well in the US, but I For aspiring creatives, Merabi offers
The evolution from passionate choosing instead to develop garments see even bigger opportunities in the Gulf. this advice: “You don’t need experience or
hobbyist to businesswoman was directly on mannequins rather than The craftsmanship, the love of dressing formal education, just belief in your vision
accelerated by pivotal moments that sketches. This hands-on approach up, it aligns with our values perfectly.” and the courage to do things differently.”

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