Nadine Mneimneh – a Success Story

Having grown up in Paris, Nadine Mneimneh returned to Lebanon in 2001 and subsequently obtained her BBA from the American University of Beirut.

Interested in fashion, she attended a fashion and design course at Instituto Marangoni and then pursued a BA in fashion design and pattern making at École Superieure des Arts et Technique de Mode (ESMOD). With six years’ work experience in the fashion industry, she launched her own ready-to-wear label in 2010.

Nadine met the program manager of AMIDEAST’s Cisco Entrepreneur Institute during Global Entrepreneurship Week Lebanon 2011 and decided to enroll in its “Starting a Business” workshop. With plans to open her own atelier, she wanted to make sure she had the knowledge and tools needed to run a successful business.

Upon completion of the workshop, Nadine opened an atelier on Beirut’s Hamra Street. Her line is being sold in Europe and the Middle East.

Nadine’s last collection was showcased during the Ecoluxe fashion show, an event that gathered international designers with an ethos of sustainability, as part of London Fashion Week. Her work continues to receive international press coverage, both on television and in printed press and fashion blogs.

Nadine’s design philosophy follows some principles the slow fashion movement, which includes keeping traditional methods of producing garments, favoring quality over quantity with utmost attention to finishing and minimizing fabric waste. Her style is defined by a loose and minimal silhouette hinting at femininity, with the lines and volumes sharpened by the use of refined menswear fabrics.

Nadine credits the course she attended with helping her to consider every aspect of running a small business, teaching her to focus on a niche market and providing her with valuable information on leasing a location. She also valued the guest speakers and many opportunities for networking that were built into the program.

“One guest speaker, a real estate agent who advised us on leasing versus buying a location, supported me outside of the workshop. Both her presentation and her additional feedback left me confident and fully prepared to negotiate the rental contract for my atelier. Maya Nohra (a photographer who attended the same workshop) supported me by taking photos for my press kit at no charge; in turn, the mention of her name on my press materials helps to build her reputation.”