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Top O.C. designers, continued ...
Fashion designer
Oday Shakar
Founder of Oday Shakar
Costa Mesa
<<< Photo by Carla Rhea
Biggest goal: “To never become complacent and to always feel challenged”
Oday
Shakar remembers being intrigued by the beauty and mystique of women,
even as a young boy growing up in the Middle East. And he’d spend hours
sketching.
When Shakar’s aunt – a graduate of a design
school in London – discovered his sketchbook, she encouraged him to
pursue a career in fashion design. The advice paid off.
“When
I got to the States, I started noticing that a lot of the trends I was
sketching were beginning to become popular,” he says. “I thought that
if I could predict trends, I should definitely pursue this as a
career.”
Shakar was 18 when he enrolled as a full-time
student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los
Angeles. And when he wasn’t in class, he was working at Von Dutch as
the assistant designer to Christian Audigier – the founder of Ed Hardy.
He later went on to work as the head designer for Dragonfly Clothing’s
men’s line.
“But men’s (wear) was never my passion,” he says.
And
then Shakar met singer and actress Christina Milian, who was set to
release her second studio album. She invited him to work on her album,
including the video wardrobe for her most successful hit to date, “Dip
It Low.” And his passion reignited.
“My goal is to make
women realize that feeling beautiful comes from within,” he says. “The
beauty doesn’t start with me; it starts with them.”
Now
living in Laguna Beach, Shakar enjoys spending time with his partner,
walking on the beach, sharing a nice dinner and traveling. He also
likes escaping on the weekends to places like New York, where he can
expand his design horizons.
Derek Jenkins | Barclay Butera | Mariana Stoopen
Matt Tubergen | Jane Elia Schwartz | Marc Entin
Kelli Ellis | Dan Parks | Oday Shakar | Lin Shen
Top O.C. designers, continued ...
Fashion designerOday Shakar
Founder of Oday Shakar
Costa Mesa
<<< Photo by Carla Rhea
Biggest goal: “To never become complacent and to always feel challenged”
Oday Shakar remembers being intrigued by the beauty and mystique of women, even as a young boy growing up in the Middle East. And he’d spend hours sketching.
When Shakar’s aunt – a graduate of a design school in London – discovered his sketchbook, she encouraged him to pursue a career in fashion design. The advice paid off.
“When I got to the States, I started noticing that a lot of the trends I was sketching were beginning to become popular,” he says. “I thought that if I could predict trends, I should definitely pursue this as a career.”
Shakar was 18 when he enrolled as a full-time student at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. And when he wasn’t in class, he was working at Von Dutch as the assistant designer to Christian Audigier – the founder of Ed Hardy. He later went on to work as the head designer for Dragonfly Clothing’s men’s line.
“But men’s (wear) was never my passion,” he says.
And then Shakar met singer and actress Christina Milian, who was set to release her second studio album. She invited him to work on her album, including the video wardrobe for her most successful hit to date, “Dip It Low.” And his passion reignited.
“My goal is to make women realize that feeling beautiful comes from within,” he says. “The beauty doesn’t start with me; it starts with them.”
Now living in Laguna Beach, Shakar enjoys spending time with his partner, walking on the beach, sharing a nice dinner and traveling. He also likes escaping on the weekends to places like New York, where he can expand his design horizons.
Derek Jenkins | Barclay Butera | Mariana Stoopen
Matt Tubergen | Jane Elia Schwartz | Marc Entin
Kelli Ellis | Dan Parks | Oday Shakar | Lin Shen
Matt Tubergen | Jane Elia Schwartz | Marc Entin
Kelli Ellis | Dan Parks | Oday Shakar | Lin Shen
