Meet Dalia Drake

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Dalia Drake. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Dalia below.

Dalia, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?

My optimism comes from having to rebuild myself more than once — as a Cuban immigrant, as a former athlete, and as a woman creating her own lane in fashion with no safety net. When you leave your country as a teenager, when you carry a life in one maleta and a dream, you learn early that nobody is coming to save you — but you can always save yourself, and that builds a hope that’s not naïve, but earned. I grew up in a place where imagination was a survival tool, where you learned to see possibility even when the reality in front of you felt limited, and that taught me to look at every challenge — unemployment, setbacks, moments of starting over — and tell myself, “Esto no me va a tumbar, I can flip this.” My optimism also comes from being Afro-Latina and understanding the strength of my lineage; my family, the women who raised me, and my mamá holding me down even in the hardest moments all gave me faith in the future. And honestly, a big part of it comes from creativity itself — fashion saved me, style gave me a language when I didn’t feel like I fit anywhere, and being a stylist lets me turn chaos into beauty. So my optimism isn’t pretending everything is fine; it’s trusting that I’ve already survived worse and knowing that every chapter, from the tennis court to New York to the styling world, taught me how to start again with intention, discipline, and corazón.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I’m a fashion curator and stylist who uses clothing as a storytelling tool, especially for artists, women, and creatives who want to show the world who they are without having to say a word. My work sits at the intersection of culture, identity, and intention — shaped by my journey as a Cuban immigrant, a former athlete, and an Afro-Latina building her own lane in New York. What makes my work special is that I don’t style from trend; I style from truth. I study people, their energy, their history, and the narrative they want to carry into a room. That’s why artists trust me — because I’m not just putting clothes on someone, I’m building a visual language around who they are and what they represent. Right now, I’m focused on expanding my work as a curator and creative director within the Latin and Afro-diasporic creative community, especially highlighting underground talent and emerging voices that deserve real visibility. I’m also developing more educational content for young Latinos and Caribbean creatives who want to break into fashion and entertainment but don’t always have access to the “industry playbook.” My brand is rooted in authenticity, discipline, and intention — the same qualities that carried me from Cuba to the tennis court in to styling red carpets, music artists, and cultural moments in New York. For me, fashion isn’t about perfection; it’s about power, identity, and showing the world your story before you even speak.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Three things have shaped my path more than anything: my work ethic, my eye, and my ability to adjust quickly. The work ethic came from sports — tennis taught me how to show up, how to keep going when things get uncomfortable, and how to rely on consistency more than motivation. That discipline is what carried me through every reinvention, every moment where I had to figure out my next step from scratch.

My eye — the way I study people, spaces, and energy — is what makes my styling different. I don’t approach fashion from a surface level; I pay attention to the small details that reveal who someone really is. That sensitivity came from living between cultures and having to read the world before the world understood me. It’s a skill that has become the core of my creative work.

And the third is adaptability. As an immigrant with no built-in network, I learned early how to pivot, how to find opportunities in unexpected places, and how to stay flexible when life shifts. That ability is what allowed me to build a career in fashion on my own terms.

For anyone just starting: train your discipline, even in private; sharpen your eye by paying attention to everything around you; and stay open to change. Growth comes from being willing to evolve, not from having all the answers at the beginning.

How would you spend the next decade if you somehow knew that it was your last?

I’d spend that time creating, connecting, honoring where I come from, and moving toward every dream I’ve ever had with no hesitation. I’d pour myself into my family and into the communities I believe in — especially young Latinos, Afro-Latinos, and immigrants who need real guidance instead of gatekeeping.
I’d travel back to Cuba more often, and I’d see the world, not to escape but to stay rooted and to understand how to keep my culture and my work alive. I’d focus on building projects that feel bigger than fashion — documentaries, workshops, visual archives, schools, community programs — work that protects our stories and makes sure they’re told the way we deserve.
I’d style and create with even more intention, choosing projects that feel aligned, meaningful, and grounded in purpose. Every collaboration, every visual, every moment would be something that leaves a mark.
Personally, I’d stay close to the people who feel like home. I’d choose joy, softness, and the small rituals that keep me centered. I’d let myself love harder, rest deeper, and live with fullness instead of urgency. And beyond my career, I’d want to build a family — to feel safe with a partner, to raise children, and to share a future that feels warm and intentional.
That decade would be about legacy, not in the sense of fame, but in the sense of leaving behind work, memories, and impact that make people say: she lived with purpose, she moved with corazón, and she truly made the most of the time she had.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/Daliadrake
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/daliadrake
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaliaDrakeCom
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daliadrake/