The Mason Spirit

In 2009, bride-to-be Sareh Nouri, BA Art ’04, was desperate to find the wedding dress of her dreams. As her big day approached, she grew more and more frustrated at her inability to find the perfect dress, so she decided to design her own.

Sareh Nouri

Before she knew it, that one dream dress turned into a line of dresses, and Nouri found herself working with high-end bridal salons, couture dressmakers, and other brides-to-be. Now, her couture creations are spotlighted in dozens of the world’s high-end fashion boutiques and global media, including such magazines as People and Us Weekly.

Originally from Iran, Nouri dreamed about fabrics, textures, and sketching. She moved to the United States at age 9, where, she says, everything was so different.

“It was not easy at all. I think the most challenging thing for me was the language.”

But with her family’s encouragement, she overcame barriers and things quickly fell in place. Nouri excelled in everything that had to do with art at West Springfield High School in Northern Virginia. Her innovation, talent, and determination eventually brought her to George Mason University to hone her graphic design skills.

Now based in New York City, Nouri is focused on making unforgettable wedding memories for clients, who have included an American Idol contestant and a former Miss America.

“Hearing a bride say your gown is the one they want on their wedding day is the most rewarding part,” she explains. “Knowing that one of my gowns will be part of their lives and will be in their photographs and memories is priceless.”

Her role models are professional women who believe in themselves and work hard to achieve their goals. Nouri works around the clock but tries to find time for herself, her husband, family, and friends.

“We’re always doing photo shoots, new collections, production, marketing, and traveling for runway shows and trunk shows. I don’t let it affect my personal life so much. I try to step away once in a while as hard as it is. I think that’s necessary,” she says, adding she hopes to become a mother someday.

—Sudha Kamath