Men’s fashion levels up on Market Street

By Alexandra Duemer | Community Council

It turns out the most interesting man in the world may be right here on Market Street.

William Nasralla is the owner of DaVinci Luxe, an upscale men’s fashion boutique located near Market Street bridge. The store is not new to Scottsdale, having first opened at The Borgata in 1993, then making its way north to Kierland Commons and now DC Ranch. Nasralla’s passion for fashion and the finer things in life are evident from the moment you step through the door.

Born in Egypt, Nasralla moved with his parents to Toronto at age 13. While in college there he studied textile and fashion design and went on to apprentice with some of the world’s best designers, including Emilio Pucci in Italy and Pierre Balmain in Paris.

A far cry from today’s fast fashion, the “threads” you’ll find at DaVinci Luxe are of the finest quality with designs that can’t be found anywhere else. “I felt DC Ranch would be a more beneficial destination for my clients, without much traffic. I can entertain them and enjoy an espresso or a glass of wine together,” he says. “Many clients are from out of town and come to buy entire wardrobes. I know what looks good on them and they trust my judgment.” Nothing is sold online.

“I design about 70% of my product,” he explains. “I go to Italy twice a year and start from scratch, inspired by what I see the men and women are wearing there. Then I go to the mills where I pick my fabrics. I have worked with small, artisanal factories there for more than 35 years and they create the designs to my specifications.” Nasralla looks around his shop pointing out that collections are sorted by color, his claim to fame. “Color is the soul of my collections. Life is too short to wear boring clothes.”

Twenty years ago, Nasralla added perfumes for men and women to his collection. Every few years, he travels to Grasse, the world’s perfume capital in France, where he creates alluring scents and designs the beautiful bottles they come in. “I am not a need store, this is a want store,” he says. In fact, it is one of only three stores in the U.S. to carry Artioli luxury shoes, handcrafted in Italy. Fluent in five languages, Nasralla has traveled the world many times over. “I know it’s been a great life for me. I love dressing men, and that really is my mission in life. Dressing men. Making them look great.” He smiles. “And you know, that’s what women about me— I make their guys look great.”