Today we’d like to introduce you to Dina Hawidi.
Hi Dina, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Fashion has always been a part of my identity. Growing up, I always gravitated towards anything that wasn’t trendy because I always wanted to be different. The love I had for sketching and simply looking at fabrics brought the wildest fire of passion within me. I knew this was something I’ve always wanted to do; I just needed to figure out how. I stepped my feet into the bridal industry because it was such a grand event in a female’s life, I felt like there was such a big lack in the industry.
Everything looks the same when it came to bridal. It wasn’t customizable, nor was it open to all sizes. I knew it was an industry I just had to get in. I started with headpieces in 2019 and thought id get into evening gowns a few months after. I skipped that step and went directly into bridal, and that is history.
The response was INSANE! Within six months of my launch, I was already looking for a location. I quit my day job and went straight into the designing process of what is now my flagship location. It has been four months since open and I have already outgrown my current location. I have brides that visit us from all states. They fly out or even drive hours just to buy one of my dresses. I think that’s absolutely wild. I still can’t believe the response I’ve had and the amount of change I’ve brought to the bridal industry.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has been anything but smooth; I cry both happy tears and tears of stress all the time. Owning a business at the age of 21 was nothing but smooth. It’s a lot of responsibility; I don’t think people give entrepreneurs enough credit for how much work and dedication really goes into opening a business with values.
My brand had to be me. Everything about it has to represent me. There has been and still is so many sleepless nights, I wake up at 3 a.m just to take meetings. I spend after hours at the store just designing and maintaining the store, its is everything to me.
Designing and building a store came with so much vision. Having to trust others with your vision is not easy. My brand and I are one identity, anything that could possibly effect the brand directly effects me. I have so many people depending on me, constantly worried, and so many young entrepreneurs looking up to me. I couldn’t possibly take that lightly.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an Haute couture designer/entrepreneur located in Texas. I opened my very first location four months ago. I have changed the bridal industry by being one of the only customizable, made-to-order bridal brands that focuses on crafting the perfect dress with all your important elements specific to your needs. I create gowns that work for all sizes and are fully customizable to exactly what our brides are looking for. I create evening gowns and bridal dresses; my store also has veils and headpieces.
I am most proud of the brand’s identity and how customizable we are. The bridal store allows brides to pick what they like and don’t like about a gown and create it to their own specific needs. I am also very proud of the concept we have created for modest hijabi women by enabling them to also make any gown fully modest to be created for their own important needs. I am proud of the customer experience the brand has.
We provide an intimate and private bridal dress shopping experience with family and friends in a luxurious and beautiful environment. At DH Bridal, each bride will be assigned their own bridal consultant the entire time of the appointment to be fully educated about style, fabrics and silhouettes, and help the bride find their dream gown. We also create custom bridal and custom evening gowns.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory is how much fun it used to be to play and act out what life would be like. When I was younger, around the age of 7-9. I would always roleplay with my sister where I’d set up all my clothes on my bed as if I were a “store,” and she would act “shop” around and pick out what she liked. Ever since I was young, I’ve always envisioned myself as an entrepreneur owning a business. I would even make her checkout with real payment. Now that I look back at that its absolutely funny because she’s actually one of the bridal stylists at the boutique.
Pricing:
- Bridal gowns: $2,500 +
- Evening gowns: $500+
- Headpieces: $150+
- Veils: $400+
Contact Info:
- Email: info@dinahawidi.com
- Website: dhbridal.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dinahawidiofficial/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dinahawidiofficial
