Diane Izzedin Can Make You Look Good in Leather

Diane Izzedin is a Belgian-born denim and leather designer who has fashion in her genes. Her mother owned prêt-à-porter boutiques, and Izzedin took inspiration from her work to solve a personal conundrum. “Nothing made my butt look good, so I decided to make my own jeans,” the 41-year-old Izzedin says. People took notice of the biker-chic, detailed denim, often stopping her and asking where she’d gotten her jeans. Izzedin decided to make 300 pairs and approach a few stores in Europe. They bought her jeans and soon sold out. “My stuff is not for everyone,” she says. “I’m not a mass-market product. Everything is handmade.” Example: “One time I went to Home Depot and bought chains and pounded them to put on the jeans. People loved it.” Izzedin’s creations go beyond jeans; she designs bags, belts, leather pants, and jackets made of the highest quality denim and leathers. Her clientele varies from teen hipsters to businessmen and even one 60-year-old grandmother. Cher, Kelly Wearstler, and Ashlee Simpson are fans of her bags. The pieces have been carried by some of Dallas’ most cutting-edge boutiques, including Gregory’s and Forty Five Ten, and are currently available at V.O.D. New this season are Izzedin’s ruched-side jeans ($250) and kidskin leather pants ($1,800). Although she lives in Houston, the mother of two has a condo at the Dallas W that she shares with her husband, Dallas restaurateur Salah Izzedin, of Texas de Brazil. And now you know where he gets all those wild snakeskin jackets.