Our Story

dref_by_d is a brand crafted from over 30 years of experience in the fashion industry. It was founded by Tania Hanna as a response to the absence of quality and unique pieces in the market.

As a force in the industry and her strong sense of style, she struggled to find herself in most brands, thus exacerbated dref_by_d’s emergence. dref_by_d is a brand devoted to celebrating boldness by creating statement quality pieces that carry a luxurious timeless appeal.

The brand is as personal to Tania as her late father, Fred. Tania, having absorbed his career-driven nature, has implemented it into her work and established herself as a prominent name in the fashion industry, gathering an impressive portfolio across all categories. Following her father’s passing, she felt compelled to pay homage to her inspiration and support system.

Thus, Dref was born, a name cleverly derived from her father's title. dref_by_d has since devoted to becoming a formidable force, a testament to the indomitable spirit of Tania Hanna and her unyielding pursuit of excellence.

Tania Hanna is a designer, founder, and CEO of DZYNA, dref_by_d & Urban Tech Apparel.

With a career spanning several decades, Tania has built successful fashion brands and lectured on fashion design. Her impressive portfolio includes designing and producing exclusive projects for a diverse range of labels locally and offshore.

Tania began her apparel career in the late 80s after graduating with a degree in fashion design, working on Holeproof’s infamous “No Knickers” campaign. She went on to launch her first label, Matana, focusing on unique, high-end fashion pieces for the bridal and racewear industries.

With the success of Matana, Tania partnered with Sydney company Kakzui to launch a second label, Recur, which became a thriving nationwide wholesale business with retail stores and was one of the first Australian brands to open factories in Kowloon, Hong Kong, building strong relationships with Chinese manufacturers and suppliers that endure today.

In 2000, Tania established Dzyna in response to the high demand for her freelance design services and her experience in overseas manufacturing. Almost 20 years later, the company has continued to grow and thrive, adding boutique fashion label dref_by_d and technology-focused streetwear brand Urban Tech to its roster.

Tania’s wealth of experience in the fashion industry, coupled with her passion for innovation and sustainability, has positioned her as a leader in the industry.

Each piece is developed with a curious eye for detail. Our designers focus on ensuring that our fits, fabrics, and finishes are never compromised.

We view the trend as secondary, focusing our design on the duality of sleek modernism and avant-garde. dref_by_d thrives on delivering a cutting-edge and unparalleled perspective in the ever-evolving realm of fashion.

With dref, every collection is an evolution. Our designs are thoughtfully crafted to celebrate and embrace the beauty of different body types and skin colours, ensuring that each garment resonates with a global audience.

As a brand, we are committed to creating an all encompassing experience for our worldly customers, where every individual feels seen, valued, and empowered by our thoughtful creations. dref_by_d holds dearly our mission to inclusivity and diversity.

All our pieces are designed in the city of
Melbourne, Australia.

For over 20 years, Tania Hanna has maintained close relationships with all dref_by_d’s manufacturing partners and workers who assist in achieving our vision and creating the collections. Our decades long partnership with our manufacturers have allowed us to mutually grow and develop while ensuring that the materials and practices used in production are thoroughly vetted and meet with the highest ethical standards.

We are committed to upholding our ethical sourcing policy when sourcing and selecting fabrics and yarns and utilise tools such as the Better Cotton Initiative and traceable fibres to ensure transparency and traceability throughout our supply chain.

At dref_by_d, ensuring ethical working conditions across all aspects of our business is a top priority. We uphold industry certifications and our Code of Conduct to ensure that our standards are met.

Our suppliers hold a number of internationally recognized certifications, we make it a priority for our key suppliers to continue with these certifications.

We visit our factories whenever possible to ensure that these standards are being upheld, and are committed to fostering responsible practices and creating a safe, healthy environment for all, while promoting education on ethical and sustainable practices. All in all, we promise to always be on the nose for a more sustainable and ethical options, while meeting our standard of conduct.