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Venezuelan Beauty of Lebanese Heritage Paulina Braiz-Harb, Designs Custom Fashions
Fashion has been in the news lately with the Emmys, Miss Universe pageant, and the Fall Fashion Preview. We spoke with local designer Paulina Braiz-Harb.
The Venezuelan-born opened her custom dress boutique, Paulina bh, in Brimingham, Michigan in the summer of 2008. Her business model caters to the “romantic, feminine” woman who dreams of wearing something special and targets women of all ages.
The minimalist boutique features custom made gowns, shoes, jewelry, evening wear and bridal wear. Each dress is hand sewn by tailors in Venezuela using materials such as chiffon, silk chiffon or satin that could take three to six months to complete.
“I always knew I wanted to design couture dresses.”
She began sketching at 11, and features some of those initial designs in her store today.
Prior to opening her own business Paulina worked in human resources and marketing after graduating from college. The energetic, free spirited beauty came to this country eight years ago and made her home in metro Detroit, far from where she was born and raised near the capital city of Caracas.
While designing her line for the flagship store, Paulina sought the advice of Louisa Lucchi, official shoe designer for the Miss Venezuela pageant for 13 years, and created her own line of shoes with Lucchi. Paulina also sought the advice of Osmel Sousa, the internationally known “beauty guru” of the Miss Venezuela organization.
Paulina said Sousa is known for transforming women into international pageant winners. Under his direction, Venezuela has taken home more international titles than any other country, including six Miss Universe winners.
Perhaps the biggest influence in Paulina’s life is a previous Miss Universe winner, Barbara Palacios. “I always admired her style, she said about the self confident Miss Universe 1986, whose career ascended a television host, publicist, and founder and motivational speaker of her own company.
“She always looked elegant,” Paulina said about Barbara’s feminine simplicity and deep spiritual values who promotes a holistic lifestyle.
Through prayer, Paulina said, she made the decision to delve into the highly competitive fashion world. Paulina’s customers can purchase a dress, custom-designed shoes, and hand-made jewerly made by designers such as Argenis Sanchez and George Wittels. Other pieces of jewerly are set in 24 karat gold and made by the same creator of the crown for the Miss Venezuela pageant. In addition to Paulina’s own designs, she carries dresses by Angel Sanchez, creator of Eva Longoria and Sandra Bullock’s wedding gowns.
The Venezuelan beauty of Lebanese heritage has done her homework. She is passionate about her talent, which she expresses through her fashion-wise style. Paulina believes she understands what fashion is and being able to create designs that make sense for today’s woman of the world. She understands history and what people wore before and is passionate about living in the moment.
Paulina is living the American dream and catering to the renaissance woman of the world who is dreaming of a dress that gets the results when she steps out for that special occasion. Many of her designs start with a dream. “If I don’t have it. I’ll make it.”
Sabah Fakhoury
Arab Detroit