Diana Nicoras is a fashion entrepreneur and the Founder and Creative Director of ANAIDD, a leather-focused fashion brand established in 2025. Her story begins in Romania, where she entered the fashion world at just 12 years old through work with Fashion TV. While most kids were discovering hobbies, Diana was traveling internationally for shows, media projects, and competitions.
Those early years shaped her. She learned how demanding the industry could be. She also learned discipline, resilience, and how to adapt quickly. Along the way, she earned several modeling titles, including Top Model Romania, gaining national and international recognition.
As her experience grew, so did her curiosity. Diana later studied fashion at Istituto Marangoni Miami, where she deepened her understanding of design, luxury, and the global fashion business. Education gave structure to the hands-on knowledge she had built since childhood.
Her love for leather fashion eventually led to the creation of ANAIDD. The brand was not a sudden idea. It was a natural next step. Leather had always been a material she admired for its strength, structure, and timeless appeal.
Today, ANAIDD is known for its craftsmanship and modern design, and its pieces have been worn by Victoria’s Secret models and other notable names. Still, Diana measures success by consistency and long-term growth. She believes in patience, balance, and staying true to a clear vision—values that continue to shape both her work and her life.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I like quiet mornings. I usually begin with movement—either a short workout or stretching. It clears my head. After that, I review my priorities for ANAIDD. I break my work into design, operations, and long-term planning. I focus on what has the most impact that day. I learned early in fashion that reacting to everything makes you lose direction. Structure keeps me productive.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Ideas start visually for me. Sometimes it’s architecture. Sometimes it’s a memory from my early years traveling for Fashion TV. I sketch first. Then I refine. Leather is not forgiving, so construction matters. I test proportions and structure carefully. I don’t rush samples. I step back and revisit designs before finalizing them. That pause often improves the outcome.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m excited by the return to craftsmanship. People are asking where things are made and how long they last. After years of fast cycles, quality is becoming important again.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Routine. When motivation drops, routine carries you. I rely on discipline more than emotion.
What advice would you give your younger self?
I started at 12 in an international industry. I would tell my younger self not to feel pressure to prove everything at once. Growth takes time. Trust timing.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I don’t believe scaling fast is always smart. In creative industries, growing slower can protect quality and brand identity.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Step back before final decisions. Distance gives clarity.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I reset physically. I go for a walk or train. Then I review what I’ve already accomplished. It shifts my mindset from pressure to progress.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Long-term vision with short-term execution. I break large goals into smaller actions. That approach helped me transition from modeling and media into founding ANAIDD without losing direction.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early on, I said yes to projects that didn’t align with my long-term vision. It created stress and distraction. I learned that not every opportunity is the right one.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
A leather restoration and customization studio. Many people own quality pieces they don’t wear because of minor damage. Repairing and redesigning them extends value.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Notion. I use it to map product timelines and long-term strategy in one place.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
I value books on discipline and long-term thinking. “Atomic Habits” reinforced ideas I already practice.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
“The Devil Wears Prada.” It’s interesting to see how ambition and balance intersect in fashion.
Key learnings
- Long-term vision creates stability in fast-moving industries.
- Discipline and routine outperform short bursts of motivation.
- Slower growth can protect quality and brand identity.