DUBAI: Every young designer today who decides to go it alone with their own label must perfect a sort of solo high-wire act where the only way to look is forward. They must juggle cultural relevance, craft, representation, community and sustainability, and, all the while, create clothes that are not only covetable but actually say something about the world.
Since launching her eponymous label in 2015, Saudi designer Arwa Al-Banawi has navigated these pitfalls with flair and remains one of the Kingdom’s most exciting design talents. Now rebranded as the shorter, chicer, ARWÁ, Al-Banawi is preparing for her second act.
Arwa Al-Banawi launched her eponymous label in 2015. (Supplied)
“I always had this in mind,” she says of the pivot, “that after a period of time and after the brand had developed, to make the name shorter and of course more recognizable internationally.” In addition to the new name, there’s a slick new e-commerce site and a collection of day-to-evening separates with permanent appeal, brought to life by a vibrant campaign featuring 70-year-old Swiss model Gabriela Rickli-Gerster.
The Al-Banawi hallmarks are all still there: exceptional tailoring, elegant cuts with a contemporary edge for modest dressing, messages of female empowerment, styling versatility and timeless design. This is not a reinvention but rather a reemergence and refinement of her vision.
“I always want women to feel comfortable, cool and confident, even when they are dressed conservatively — that’s why I love what I do and it has always been one of the main aesthetics of the brand. Especially for me, as an Arab designer who also likes to dress that way, it’s something important to deliver in the offerings.”
Born and raised in Jeddah, Al-Banawi “travelled a lot from a young age,” visiting family and vacationing in Europe – specifically Switzerland and Germany – which she credits as helping to shape the “eclectic East and West style” of her brand. But what put fashion on her radar in the first place?
“I have to say that’s really because of my parents,” she says. “They are very into art and have a beautiful, authentic sense of style…My mom collected Vogue from back in the 80s and still has this insane library of fashion magazines. I grew up naturally learning about all the historical fashion houses and feeling the fabrics in her closet.”
It’s hard not to attach meaning and emotional weight to clothing; what you wear not only reflects who you are and how you carry yourself, but also who you want to be — and no one understands this nuance better than women’s designers like Al-Banawi. Yes, there are feather trims, form-fitting maxi dresses and shimmering kaftans (a nod to her “graceful” mother) but there is also relaxed suiting, belted blazers and a monochrome trench coat with Arabic calligraphy on the lapel (inspired by her father and his love of sharp tailoring). Her approach is thoughtful, with attention to detail — versatile lengths, materials and colors – —that transcend demographics while mirroring the multifaceted and unique perspectives of women navigating the modern world.
“You have to be in touch with your instincts as a creative because it is a very emotional experience,” says Al-Banawi, who lets her autobiography lead. “Inspiration can come from anywhere. For me, the concept is simply to be creative, to have fun. Fashion is really just the medium where I found myself most connected and able to share my story.”
Much of the beauty industry is built on inspiring insecurity in consumers. It is worth billions worldwide and a big chunk of that is spent in the region, where perfectionism and high glamor are revered. Given the ubiquity of anti-ageing propaganda, it’s refreshing — encouraging even — to see Rickli-Gerster in Al-Banawi’s campaign visuals.
“When I hear terms like ‘dress your age’ when women get older…what does that even mean?! I really don’t like that,” Al-Banawi says. “The message with the campaign is to show that confidence has no age limit — it’s something you have to celebrate within yourself. I know how it feels when you put something on and you feel immediately transformed… empowered, strong, beautiful — you feel like you can do anything.”
Running an independent brand today is like being a musician and also owning the record label. To survive, you must be adaptable and incredibly self-aware, knowing that what you are producing is just as much a business as it is a creative project.
“At the beginning, most founders are also the CEO of their company…half-business, half-creative,” says Al-Banawi, adding that her father encouraged her to complete her degree in finance before entering the fashion world full-time. “His way of thinking was that school will not teach you to be creative — that’s already part of you — but it will teach you the skills to perform in the profession that you want. I’m very grateful for that.”
Her education has served her well, with a savvy business model that focuses on sustainable production values and limited supplies of seasonless investment pieces. She currently produces one or two main collections each year and two smaller drops to coincide with Ramadan and the summer season, eschewing the international calendar (like many of her regional peers) in favor of a strategy that complements both her goals and the needs of her customers.
What works in the West isn’t necessarily relevant or reflective of the varied infrastructures or medley of cultures that currently exists across the Arab world. There have been various attempts at regional fashion weeks since the mid-noughties, some with more success than others. But ultimately what these events revealed was that without a healthy backbone — proper programming, guidance from industry leaders and intelligent investment at grassroots level in the nurturing of design communities — they couldn’t gain the trust or support of the designers they intended to serve.
Burak Çakmak, the CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission, is attempting to change the narrative. In June 2021, he spearheaded the launch of the Saudi 100 Brands initiative, an annual, year-long development strategy for emerging local designers, educating them on everything required to grow a brand from the ground up with infrastructural support on Saudi soil. And last year saw the launch of Riyadh Fashion Week, where Al-Banawi showed her latest line.
“At the moment it makes sense for me to present once a year — to show the vibe of the brand, connect with customers and the press — and when I do, it would be in Riyadh,” Al-Banawi says, remarking on how far the country has come in building a credible fashion industry. “The talent has always been there,” she says, “but what the Fashion Commission is doing is incredible and I know more designers will keep coming through every year…like us, they are telling the story of Saudi, its rich culture and heritage, through their brands — we’re all very proud.”
