Dana Asady is the fashion designer behind the stunning women’s wear brand aŠady. (https://www.danaasady.com). Her work is influenced by timeless shapes with roots in ancient Mesopotamia, where goddesses ruled both love and war simultaneously, married with a modern twist fit for the 21st century woman. But that’s not all there is to know about this brilliant designer – in fact, she almost didn’t become a designer at all.

After Dana’s family left Iraq to pursue a better future in the U.S. she obtained a master’s degree in nuclear physics. Afterwards, she held a career in tech for 12 years before following her childhood passion of designing and making clothing - and as they say, the rest is history.

Join Teddi and Melissa on their fascinating discovery of how Dana looks at fashion through the lens of physics and hear her deeply insightful answers to the burning question, “Why don’t we dress for dinner anymore?”

Follow us on Instagram: @getdressedfordinner, @teddilovesfashion, @the.melissa.fierce, @dana.asady

Join Teddi Krochman and Melissa Pierce as they interview Chicago stylist and college professor, Rachel J. Penca about the Chicago fashion world and her thoughts on why people wear what they wear.

Rachel J. Penca:

Rachel has a degree in advertising from the University of Illinois – Champaign Urbana. Rachel worked in corporate advertising for about 7 years and decided to make the leap to personal styling. She worked for a Chicagoland suburban upscale boutique and was then hired by Nordstrom where she was soon promoted to Los Angeles to help manage one of their most prestigious designer departments. Rachel styled celebrity clients including Vivica A. Fox and the rest is history. Today Rachel has her own personal styling business which also includes commercial styling and fashion shoots. In addition, she is a professor of Fashion Styling at Columbia College and mentors young people on how to get started in the styling business.