Q&A with Handbag Designer Nour Toubia

Lebanese bag designer, Nour Toubia, has made it her mission to empower women one luxuriously handmade bag at a time with her brand inspirited by yet another awe-inspiring woman, Nicoletta Parodi, Italian megastar of the 40's.

"Behind every successful man, there is a woman" - that is how the saying would normally go. But for Nour Toubia, handbag designer and interior architect, it's a case of a woman behind another woman's success, naming her brand after her late grandmother, one of the biggest Italian actresses of the 1940's, Nicoletta Parodi.
In this interview, Nour talks about her work, her muse and her future plans with her brand Nicoletta Parodi.

Q: It's known that your brand's main muse is your grandmother, one of the biggest Italian actresses of the 40's, Nicoletta Parodi. Tell us more about how she influences your designs and your brand's entire spirit.
Nour: Since my youngest age, Nicoletta Parodi was an inspiration to me. My grandmother used to amaze me and as much as I loved her and respected her - mainly because she left her career of cinematography to follow the love of her life, my grandfather - I always wanted to “take a revenge on her career” in a way; for her name to be known as much as she had to be back in the years when she left before going to Hollywood.
“Mia Musa, Mia Nonna, Mia Inspirazione” is the slogan of my brand. She (Nicoletta) is the main influence of the brand entire spirit, as she is the one that transmitted me the love of accessories mainly in handbags and hats. The design behind my bags are mostly a mix of inspiration between the glamour of the 40's and Nicoletta herself and my background that is in Interior Architecture.

Q: What are your inspirations in creating your designs? Did any of your grandmother's movies inspire any of your designs/collections? Nour: Every collection holds the name of one of the movies where Nicoletta starred. My "Bride" bag of each season holds the name of her character. I can’t be specific on what inspires me to create or design, as any designer can tell you. It’s a general mood that inspires me to create, and it can be anything from a picture, a color, a song, movies, a dress, a piece of furniture or even a building. My creations are the result of a mix of my craziness and my passion. It is the exact mirror of my own personality; my bags are the image of a strong, classy and beautiful woman.

Q: You are based in Beirut, Lebanon and I see that your bags are mainly available in the Middle Eastern countries. How does the Middle East market perceive your designs? Nour: It’s true that I am based in Beirut, but my main focus today is to expand my brand in other countries as well. For the past two years, we’ve been present in Beirut, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah, Qatar, Oman, Alexandria, Cairo & Senegal, but our clients are from all over the world as we ship worldwide through the help of social media mainly.
I couldn’t be happier that the Middle East market are loving Nicoletta Parodi bags as the quality, design and price have a variety and are different from what is available in the market. Women are trying to find unique pieces that are different nowadays, mostly people who appreciate handmade works by artisans and fashion in general - and this is what they can find in Nicoletta Parodi bags.

Q: Aside from your beautiful and elegant grandmother, Nicoletta Parodi, if you could have any woman (celebrity or non-celeb, living or dead) representing your designs, who would it be? Nour: I wish Nicoletta was still alive to wear one of my designs, that’s for sure. Also, a woman I would love to represent my brand is someone at her image: strong, feminine, classy, active, passionate and loyal. Maybe Oprah wearing Nicoletta Parodi can be a real achievement for me.
Q: Tell me one life lesson or philosophy that you learned from your grandmother and would benefit other women as well. Nour: One of the most important lessons I have learned from my grandmother is that wherever you reach in life, on top or not, you are not greater than anyone but always equal. Keep your head in the clouds but your feet on the ground. Equality, respect, strength, power and focusing on myself to work hard to achieve what I want in life is what keeps me going on day after day.
Q: Your brand, Nicoletta Parodi, is turning three this year. How will you celebrate this milestone? Nour: Time flies! Three years this year, and I am proud of our achievements to date. As I have launched my brand on the same date my father was born, I usually celebrate with my family and partner who are my daily support and energy.
Q: So what's next for Nicoletta Parodi? Nour: I have a continuous positive pressure since I have started my business, which is also not easy to hold on your shoulder every day: my brand holds the name of one of the biggest Italian actresses. I am planning on realizing more of my dreams this year to achieve my goals by expanding my brand in more markets not only in the MENA region and hopefully to soon launch my new website that I am currently working on so people could directly buy from our platform.

Q: Enough business for today, let's have a little fun, shall we? Let's play 'Who Would You Rather.'

Who would you rather date - Brad Pitt, George Clooney or Johnny Depp? The handsome Brad Pitt without hesitation :)
Who would you rather invite over coffee - Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie or Meryl Streep? Angelina Jolie to ask her how she manages between her career and her family
Who would you rather get stuck in an elevator with - Oprah, Jim Carrey or Beyonce? Jim Carrey for endless laughter
Whose closet would you rather raid - Sarah Jessica Parker, Victoria Beckham or Gwen Stefani? Very difficult question. Lost between SJP and VB! I can’t make up my mind, a bit of the two? :)
Who would you rather pick to represent your brand - Taylor Swift, Emma Watson or Jennifer Lawrence? Taylor Swift

Thank you, Nour! I look forward to seeing more of Nicoletta Parodi!
Currently, you can shop Nicoletta Parodi here.