Dia Ates is a globally trained executive and multi-disciplinary international designer.

Immersed in design and manufacturing early on, Dia was exposed to entrepreneurship, diplomacy, and philanthropy. Her training in couture fashion, design and tailoring began with her grandmother at age four in the Philippines. She trained with tailors and skilled artisans in embroidery, beading, weaving, furniture making, and other craftsman skills. In elementary, she sold hand-picked rocks for building foundations of local homes; employing both herself and individuals in their developing community. She invested revenues from rock sales to fund her fashion projects, sell affordable school supplies to her schoolmates, and to purchase food distributed to neighbors in need. Dia learned about fashion and furniture manufacturing while accompanying her mother during business trips; whilst her father allowed her to sit through diplomatic meetings to learn about foreign policies and cultures.

Dia’s family migrated to California where she became a VICA Officer, organizing design and engineering conferences in the state. With her BFA in Interior Architecture and Design from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, she specialized in villa designs and luxury furnishing. Dia designed luxury mansions and hotels with aesthetics much influenced by the fashion world.

Dia lived in Rome, Italy where she acquired her MBA in International Business and Global Marketing  from Saint John’s University. While pursuing her masters, she worked with the UN World Food Programme as a Marketing Strategist where she studied diplomacy and global philanthropy with ambassadors and foreign service officers. All the while learning design aesthetics and manufacturing processes of Europe as she apprenticed with Italy’s highly skilled artisans.

After her immersive research and training, Dia returned to the United States to establish a social business with her team, Aniq Flaire.