The Pioneer and the Vision of the Future: The "Virgin Love" Show in Milan
You were one of the first Saudi designers to reach a global audience, breaking historical barriers. In this regard, in 2005 you presented an audacious fashion show titled "Virgin Love" at the Hotel Meliá in Milan. Archive images show a scene of disruptive visual power: models completely enveloped in long, colorful veils, and a young girl who removed their veils to reveal their identity and beauty. Today, observing the female empowerment underway with Vision 2030, do you feel like a visionary who had already foreseen the future of Saudi Arabia? How do you remember that gesture entrusted specifically to a little girl?
I remember that moment in Milan with deep emotion. Since childhood, I dreamed of representing my country to the world, but the biggest challenge was changing Western stereotypes, which often described Arab women as isolated. That fashion show was not a provocation, but a manifesto for generations to come. The models covered in colorful veils represented exactly that external, stereotyped perception. The little girl unveiling their faces was the heart of the message: she symbolized purity and the promise of a tomorrow where new generations would show their strength without restrictions. It was a passing of the torch. Seeing Vision 2030 bring that promise to life today, with our women leading change, gives me the certainty that art has the duty to anticipate history. That day in Milan, we unveiled the future of our girls, which has now become a splendid reality.
Credit: Shock Agency Management
Symbolism in Creations
In your creations, we notice the use of very strong and different symbolisms compared to other designers. What do you try to convey to the audience when a model wears your dress?
My designs feature very specific and thoughtful symbols. For example, I often choose the theme of Arab horses because they represent pride and glory, while I use the sea to express its mystery and secrets, or love with all its intensity and strength. I prefer to stand out in the presentation of my ideas; I love to ensure that my Saudi designs reach and captivate both the Western and Eastern worlds.
Credit: Shock Agency Management
The Message of "Angel of Peace"
One of your most famous and award-winning collections is titled "Angel of Peace." What is the profound message you wanted to send to the world with this choice?
The idea for this theme stems from peace itself and its beautiful meanings: a peace full of transparency, the peace of the earth and the homeland. Through these collections, I want to clarify to the whole world that the Gulf woman, and the Saudi woman in particular, is not isolated from society. She is a woman capable of achieving the impossible; she is courageous, ambitious, and a dreamer. The Western world is wrong when it describes the Arab woman as isolated; even when she wears the veil, she is the one who is most capable of holding fundamental roles and achieving her dreams.
Icons and Personal Passions
Is there an internationally famous woman you would love to dress in one of your exclusive creations? And when you are not designing, what are your passions?
Yes, the famous lady I would very much like to dress is Hillary Clinton. As for my passions, besides designing abayas and dresses, I love art, drawing, scuba diving, and horseback riding. I love reading in moments of absolute tranquility and I follow cultural television programs that can nourish and add value to my creativity.
A Cultural Bridge Between East and West
Being the first Arab woman to receive an award at the European Film Festival is a historic achievement. What is your mission as an artist in this global context?
My mission as an artist is to make sure that the whole world can see the beautiful and civilized face of our achievements in the field of art and creativity. I felt immense pride when an honorary member of the fashion design academy declared that the world is proud to welcome a woman with an Eastern identity and Arab features, coming from a country that contributes enormously to the service of peace, which is Saudi Arabia.
Vision for the Future: Design and Entrepreneurship
Looking to tomorrow, what are your next major projects for the development of fashion and education in your homeland?
I am working on opening the first major international fashion house of its kind in Jeddah, the 'Bride of the Red Sea.' It will be a center dedicated to beauty and creativity in all its details, as well as a great female meeting point. This transition towards entrepreneurship will allow me to include a specialized scientific academy in this fashion house, designed to teach Saudi and other Arab girls the art of fashion design, passing the torch of excellence to them.
© 2026 Queen of Queens Magazine. All rights reserved. Original interview conducted and curated by the editorial team. Reproduction prohibited.
