Imagine working for one of the most successful beauty companies in the world and imagine choosing to give it all up at the height of the financial crisis. A risky move, one that handbag designer Dareen Hakim says it was all worth it. The Dareen Hakim Collection is only over a year old, and at least half of her debut bags have already appeared on almost every shopping gift guide editorial since last spring.

I recently met Dareen at a charity event and was so inspired, not just by her beautiful and unique clutches (I’m a proud owner of her Le Capri clutch) but also her courage to leave the stability she’s known for almost ten years in the corporate world to pursue her passion for fine Italian leather and authentic Arabian metal. She molded those two things into the one thing we women don’t want to live without… our handbag. (by Nour Akkad from The Huffington Post)

Below are a few designs available in our boutique currently:

Drift away into the beauty of Le Capri – a simple yet refined elegance with a touch of the unexpected.

• Sleek silhouette, beautifully curved, rustic gold plaque.
• Genuine Italian leather.
• 5 1/4″ T x 10 3/4″ W x 1/2″ D
• 6″ Inner Pocket.
• Hidden Magnet Outer Closure.
• CLICK TO SHOP THE LE CAPRI CLUTCH

Not-so-desperate housewife Eva Longoria was spotted by People Magazine in London wearing the classic “Le Capri” clutch by Dareen Hakim while out on date night with Eduardo Cruz. Le Capri comes in 5 colors and retails for $245.

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SHOP DAREEN HAKIM DESIGNER HANDBAGS

Inspired by the vibrant culture and ancient beauty of her Lebanese heritage, Dareen Hakim brings to life an intriguing mosaic of old world authenticity and modern style. This contrast in design shapes her handbag collection’s freshly unique and unusual statement pieces. Combining the chic elegance of modern silhouettes with a touch of the ancient and rustic, the collection celebrates at once fashion and tradition. Sumptuous leathers and dramatic hues are adorned with hand-engraved metal plaques some artfully inscribed with arabesque calligraphy. Messages of love, laughter, happiness and strength are Dareen’s personal reminders of life’s simple pleasures, and reflect her motivations from early life during Lebanon’s turmoil-stricken days to today.

Inspired by the vibrant culture and ancient beauty of her Lebanese heritage, Dareen Hakim brings to life an intriguing mosaic of old world authenticity and modern style. This contrast in design shapes her handbag collection’s freshly unique and unusual statement pieces. Combining the chic elegance of modern silhouettes with a touch of the ancient and rustic, the collection celebrates at once fashion and tradition. Sumptuous leathers and dramatic hues are adorned with hand-engraved metal plaques some artfully inscribed with arabesque calligraphy. Messages of love, laughter, happiness and strength are Dareen’s personal reminders of life’s simple pleasures, and reflect her motivations from early life during Lebanon’s turmoil-stricken days to today. With their cool art-piece feel, Dareen Hakim handbags have appealed to women with a taste for elegant, yet unique fashion statements.

SHOP DESIGNER HANDBAGS BY DAREEN HAKIM – HERE

The Dareen Hakim Collection

Inspired by the vibrant culture and ancient beauty of her Lebanese heritage, Dareen brings to life an intriguing mosaic of old world authenticity and modern style. This contrast in design shapes her handbag collection’s freshly unique and unusual statement pieces.

Combining the chic elegance of modern silhouettes with a touch of the ancient and rustic, the collection celebrates at once fashion and tradition. Sumptuous leathers and dramatic hues are adorned with hand-engraved metal plaques some artfully inscribed with arabesque calligraphy. Messages of love, laughter, happiness and strength are Dareen’s personal reminders of life’s simple pleasures, and reflect her motivations from early life during Lebanon’s turmoil-stricken days to today.

With their cool art-piece feel, these handbags have appealed to women with a taste for elegant, yet unique fashion statements.

Inspiration

Dareen was born in Beirut and grew up enveloped in a culture vibrant with the ancient beauty and sensual poetry of Lebanese life. Influenced by Lebanon’s dynamic landscape, a magical swirl of archaeological ruins juxtaposed with gleaming glassy high-rises, Dareen became dually intrigued by the fluid mosaic of modern fashion set against the country’s historical backdrop. This contrast of old and new influences her still today, contributing to the mix of authenticity and modern elegance in her coveted designs.

Sumptuous leathers, arabesque calligraphy, dramatic hues – all form the basis of style behind each Dareen Hakim creation. Celebrating at once tradition and function, her debut collection’s clutches enjoy a favored status among women inspired to carry a contagiously cool piece of art, one that instantly communicates both warmth and chic.

The inscriptions on a Dareen Hakim bag reflect the designer’s fascination with the momentous spirit of her childhood. Within the turmoil of Lebanon’s earlier days, she saw people value life and cherish every day as though it was their last. This combined feeling of resilience, strength, happiness, love, laughter and appreciation of beauty in life’s simple pleasures left an impression she shares through the subtle scripted messages on her bags.

Currently dividing her time between New York and California, Dareen also often travels back home in search of childhood wonders and new inspirations. She can constantly be found sketching designs – elaborate scribbles she will interpret with an eye to creating a handbag every modern woman, young or wise, will want to count as her own.

Background

Dareen received her MBA from Harvard Business School and developed her skills and discipline on Wall Street, working to advise young businesses and large corporations. Following an early career in finance, she decided to transfer her talents into industry and pursue a lifelong interest in fashion and beauty. After managing worldwide beauty brands at L’Oreal Paris and Maybelline New York, Dareen finally ventured off on her own and pursued her dream of building a one-of-a-kind fashion line. Naturally, she began with her favorite accessory … handbags.

In her spare time, Dareen enjoys and encourages those around her to share in her passions for drawing, sculpting, painting, dancing (flamenco, belly dancing and hip-hop are her faves), as well as exploring the globe with travels to more than 30 countries (and counting!). Fluent in French and Spanish in addition to her native Arabic and adopted English, Dareen has always indulged in global cultures and expressive arts.

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