Arwa Al Banawi is a true Saudi fashion icon that has been taking the international fashion world by storm for the past years and we are here for it! Early on, in 2015, she identified a gap in the market for professional yet fashionable womenswear, as a former business woman and investment banker herself. Now, her ready-to-wear brand is the best choice for women the go, or as Awa likes to say, “The Suitable Woman”!
The Saudi fashion designer has the best recipe for success: a contrasting mash-up of traditional tailoring with modern and eclectic vibes, androgynous, yet feminine. This way, Al Banawi hits the sweet spot of “east meets west viewpoints” and manages to promote her Arab roots.
Her international trips cultivated a strong love and appreciation for fashion. She recognized a gap in the market for professional yet fashionable womenswear for the young business woman as a former investment banker. She started her own company in 2015 after attending the London College of Fashion in Dubai.
Now, Al Banawi’s suits can be seen on street style icons all over the world and in the pages of Vogue, The New York Times, Grazia, and Marie Claire. She has also worked with Levi’s, Pepsi, Adidas Originals, and has managed to win the 2019 Grazia Style Award for Designer of the Year.
Her Resort 2023 collection is her latest ready-to-wear addition and it is a special one, as it honors Arwa’s mother, a real muse in her fashion journey. La Majda is eclectic, stylish, but still playful. It channels her mother’s killer outfits around the world, in the the 80s, visiting New York, Cannes, Paris and so on.
You will find beautiful silhouettes, suits with pleats, shoulder pads, wide-leg pants. Expect an artistic feel with bold colors, like pink, mauve, reds and lime green, along with timeless neutrals. The result? An effortless look. The on-the-go look. The OMG-how-does-she-do-it look. You get the point, right?
Sustainability is a big part of the brand’s journey. They are now working with ethical factories to produce their fabrics and pieces and avoid waste, all while incorporating recycled materials.
What do you think? Are you putting it on your wishlist?