Episode 186: Nadine Merabi

Nadine Merabi is a British-Lebanese clothes designer. She is the founder of the brand which shares her name and is based in Manchester. She is mother to two little girls aged 4 and 5.

Nadine says at the heart of the brand is a desire to instil confidence in young women and make them feel great about themselves.

Nadine played hockey for England for 10 years and always felt she struggled to fit in. She says it took until the age of 29 to stop worrying about what everyone thought about her.

Post-hockey, Nadine explored other career options and I loved her story about how she reframed a lowly bar job as a glass collector, as being a chance to network.

She taught herself how to sew by watching YouTube tutorial videos, and built the Merabi clothes business because she couldn’t find anything to wear. Her brand is now over 10 years old, and in 2025 she won the Entrepreneur of the Year award at the World Retail Congress.

She loves it when her daughters see ‘one of mummy’s dresses’ on Strictly. They are certainly part of my go-to touring wardrobe too. They are fun, they make me feel supported, and often - the icing on the cake! - they have pockets!!

Spinning Plates is presented by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, produced by Claire Jones and post-production by Richard Jones.

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