Saudi Abaya designer Rana Radi is known for her stylish, casual abayas that presents the perfect mix between international trends and local traditions.
She started her business in 2003 when she was still in college, after her friends and family fell in love with her abayas that she used to design for herself only. “I used to only design Ramadan abayas when I was in college because I didn’t have enough time to combine study and work,” she said. “Word of mouth made my work gain in popularity. I would receive phone calls from people I never met and who were ready to order from my next collection,” she added.
In 2008, Radi opened her first boutique in Jeddah. She also launched her first collection of thobes and Ramadan jalabeyyas for women. “People started to know me more and I only used word of mouth as a marketing tool. Women saw other women wear my designs and they wanted one too,” she said. “I also designed a mini jalabeyya, like a stylish, short thobe that is worn like a cocktail dress. This also was a hit among my clients because it gave them an opportunity to wear their traditional clothing with an international trendy twist.”
“I designed jalabeyyas because it is very easy for an abaya designer to design thobes. They are very similar when it comes to shapes and cuts but with different materials and fabrics,” said Radi.
What sets Radi’s designs apart from other abaya brands in Saudi Arabia is that she likes to use different patterns and plays with fabrics. “I try to avoid anything that is trending in Saudi Arabia. You will never find me selling a style that anyone is designing,” she said. “I always seek to be different by using different colors, styles, cuts and accessories. I follow international trends and you will usually find me searching online for famous international fashion brands and watch fashion shows,” she added.
This season, Radi’s designs were inspired from different fabrics. Her collection this Ramadan is different from any other designs she ever released. “I used different light and soft fabrics such as linens, light cotton and plisse because this year Ramadan is in the summer season and I want my clients to feel comfortable in their Rada Radi abayas,” she said. “My cuts this seasons are about flowy and loose-fitting skirts and shirts. I designed the abayas like a jacket or blazer on top of a loose skirt. I used daring colors such as orange, tiffany blue, fuchsia and nude colors,” she added.
Radi wants women to feel comfortable and unique while wearing her designs. “I work hard on choosing the right fabrics and I spend time researching what is perfect for each season just to make my clients feel comfortable when they are wearing any of my abayas and jalabeyyas,” she said. “My goal is to make my client stand out in a crowd, I want her to be confident and happy when she is wearing my designs,” she said.
The designer currently sells her collections in Jeddah. She aims to expand to other Saudi cities and GCC countries such as Dubai and Doha soon.
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