What started as a final-year university project has grown into a fully launched fashion brand with a mission to change the way women think about their wardrobes.
The idea behind Daez is simple: I want clothes to adapt to us, rather than us having to adapt to our clothes.
As women, our days can change constantly. We can go from work to dinner, deal with completely unpredictable weather, or simply wake up feeling different in our bodies than we did the day before. I wanted to create clothing that could keep up with that.
My first piece is the Daez blazer. It's a structured, statement blazer, but it isn't designed to be worn just one way. The sleeves can be removed and the details can be adapted, allowing you to create different looks from the same piece. It's designed to work just as well with a corporate outfit as it does for going out in the evening.
The idea became even more personal to me after I was recently diagnosed with endometriosis.
I'd spent years experiencing unexplained stomach issues, and one of the things I noticed was how much my body could change. Bloating, discomfort and feeling different in my clothes made me think about how little fashion considers this side of women's lives.
It made me think: why are we expected to fit into our clothes, rather than having clothes that give us some flexibility?
That question became a huge part of what I wanted Daez to be.
I also wanted to challenge the idea that making more conscious choices with fashion means compromising on style. I'm a fashion lover first, and I don't want clothing to feel less exciting simply because it has a more conscious purpose behind it.
That's why I describe Daez as eco-conscious rather than calling it a sustainable brand. I don't think any fashion brand can be honestly sustainable, as nothing has no impact, and I want transparency to be a big part of what I build.
For me, it's about encouraging people to think differently about what they're buying. Do we really need another outfit for one occasion, or could we have one really good piece that works in five different ways?
That thinking started while I was studying Fashion Business & Promotion at the University of Salford. Daez began as my final major project, but I wasn't ready to let the idea end when I graduated. I carried it into my Master's degree in Fashion Business & Marketing, developing the concept, researching the industry and slowly turning what was once a university project into a real business.
Being able to build Daez in Manchester has made the journey even more special.
Manchester has such a strong creative identity, and I've met so many inspiring people through building the brand here. From studying at the University of Salford to receiving the Environmental Champion Award and being invited to Manchester Fashion Week, it's amazing to see how far the idea has come.
I'm still very much at the beginning of the journey. I'm learning as I go, making mistakes, figuring things out and trying to build a brand that I'm genuinely proud of.
But that's what makes it exciting.
Daez isn't about telling women they need to completely change the way they dress. It's about giving them another option. Clothes that are stylish, versatile and designed to work a little harder for them.
Because maybe we don't need more clothes.
Maybe we just need our clothes to do more.
