This week we caught up with freelance nail artist, Dania Marie, based in Miami Gardens, Florida.

The Trend: Nail art and designer fashions go hand-in-hand. Literally. As the trend progresses, we are growing more interested in how nail artists are interpreting these designer duds without overdoing it in the labels department. Honestly, how many airbrushed Chanel logos must we be subjected to before enough is enough? Apparently, nail artist Dania Marie got the memo and decided to embrace the floral details that adorn a pair of Chanel sneakers we caught on the runway. Read on to learn more about the Chanel-inspired creation.

EBONY: What inspired the design?

Dania Marie: A friend of mine works as a model and wore a pair of Chanel sneakers covered in these bold flowers. Then a friend of hers asked me to recreate a nail design with those same Chanel sneakers in mind.

EBONYYou didn’t include Chanel’s signature interlocking C’s in the design. Was that intentional?

DM: Yes, it was intentional. I thought the “C’s” would be too obvious. I wanted to draw inspiration from the unique details of the shoe, not the label. I hoped true lovers of the brand would recognize that the flowers are very Chanel-like.

EBONY: How did you create this design?

DM: First, I painted each nail, alternating between polishes. I used Essie’s Cocktails and Coconuts (a warm sand), O So Dollish’s Brave (a deep black) and O So Dollish’s Wedding Cake (a rich white). I created the dots and flowers using acrylic powder. I used the same black color to create stripes. Then, I finished with Swarovski crystals.

EBONY: What do you feel is your artistic significance when it comes to nail art?

DM: I think my use of Swarovski crystals and the fact that I’m very neat are significant in my work. I also try to create designs that appeal to a wide range of clients and keep things classy. For instance, what I create for a woman that is 50 years young is different than what I’d do for someone in high school. Lastly, I take pride in communicating with my clients about what they want and about what’s going on in their lives. No matter how good of a nail artist you are, it won’t matter if you’re not personable.

– Loren Lee