Driving in a sandstorm is never fun, especially when rain enters the mix. After two hours of trying to find our way to our beautiful shoot location in the middle of the desert, even Google Maps kinda whirred to a stop. A quick reboot fixed everything and we arrived looking a little rough, but feeling awesome for having made it, until we saw that Alanoud was already there! She had arrived a half hour early and looked pretty freaking flawless. I pin it to her being Saudi, after catching a glimpse of my grubby face in the mirror. Sand is in her blood. “I love the desert. Heat doesn’t bother me at all,” she says happily. Bronzed and glowing with piles of thick and glossy, caramel-coloured hair, Alanoud looks like she just stepped off a beach, not the nast wet sandstorm we had endured for hours.
Shirt, Dhs199, trousers, Dhs299,both Mango, Sunglasses, Dhs525, Vogue Eyewear Shoes, Dhs3,703, Roberto Cavalli Earrings, Dhs80, ring, Dhs299, all Accessorize Car: Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio @alfaromeomiddleeast
We’d picked the right girl for the wrong weather. Between quick changes and touch-ups in the car, she strutted, laughed and posed without taking a breather. She’s far tougher than her tiny frame and
near-perfect skin and hair would have us believe!
So what was it like being a clearly fearless and feisty woman in Saudi? “We were brought up to be ambitious. Some of the most amazing businesswomen I know are from there. It’s just about grabbing the right kind of opportunities. Spotting the right opp was instinctual to Alanoud. She dived into private equity and saved towards her dream – starting her own e-com website. This was all in 2005, when the region was literally an online shopping desert. Fozaza.com was one of the region’s first online boutiques – it launched when there was nothing else prominent, with unique pieces and finds that quickly put her on the map. “I went to Mashreq Bank, signed a contract with FedEx and got going.” It was a smashing success that the world woke up to, even making it to the pages of Time magazine. The idea was pretty phenom and it didn’t hurt that she was a seriously talented marketing pro. “I publicised the website so much that we got 193,000 hits in three days!”
Top, Dhs395, Monsoon. Trousers, Dhs1,800, Ayesha Depala. Necklace, Dhs335, hoop earrings, Dhs45, orange bracelet, Dhs60, set of 3 bracelets, Dhs89, ring, Dhs299, all Accessorize. Car: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio @alfaromeomiddleeast
Being online was what it was all about, and Alanoud was far from done. She started blogging around the same time. In fact, Huda Kattan, Tala Samman and Alanoud were the region’s first bloggers to watch. “Being Saudi and doing what I was got me even more attention. Also, not wearing an abaya and being open to having my pictures all over the net was weird to people.” It helped that her family didn’t restrict her at all. “Look, I’m pretty decent. I don’t party, I’m not all out there in any way. So my family is super supportive of everything I do.”
“Some of the most amazing business- women I know are from Saudi.”
The blog made her famous. “I was getting recognised and getting compliments for my own personal style. Starting my own brand of clothing was the next natural thing to do.” Alanoud’s line of blazers (@ladyfozazaofficial) – her fave item of clothing that she calls the ‘forgotten accessory’ – were a smashing success from the get-go. Instead of paying models to do her campaign shoots, she gave her blazers to key influencers and movers and shakers in the region, which really worked to her advantage. “Kim Kardashian was being interviewed by an editor who was wearing my blazer. She insisted that the editor call me and ask to be sent some! The next thing I know, both she and Khloé are spotted wearing them.”
Shirt, Dhs199, Mango; Raffia earrings, Dhs89, ring, Dhs269, all Accessorize.
Things really took off after that. Lady Gaga’s manager came calling and the eventually so did Bloomies. Alanoud’s launch collection of blazers sold out within minutes. “They literally took the one off my back to sell as there was nothing left!”
Knowing exactly what she wants and how to get it is something Alanoud is super vocal about. “I’m a feminist, yes, but I don’t think that women can do everything a man can and vice versa. Let him do his thing and I can do mine.” How would that work in a relationship? “Men are grown-up kids,” she laughs. “You’ve just got to feed them the information that you want and make them think it was their idea!” She sounds like quite the relationship pro. “Yeah, my mum has been using this tactic with my dad since I told her, and she’s like ‘why did I ever bother arguing with him before?!’
Top, Dhs1,150, trousers, Dhs1,510, PAPER London @Namshi.com. Fringe earrings, Dhs89, Accessorize.
“I’m a feminist but I don’t think a woman can do everything a man can and vice versa. Let him do his thing and I’ll do mine!”
“The thing about men is, they need to feel important. The moment they feel devalued they will turn to someone else who makes them feel good about themselves.” Is she in a relationship now? “I’ve been engaged before and it didn’t work out. We weren’t meant to be and didn’t see eye-to-eye. The experience has just made me more determined to live my dreams and do what I want to do. Really, I would rather break off an engagement than go through a divorce!”
For the last shot of the day, I asked her to walk around the pool barefoot and stand precariously at the edge. “Wait, wouldn’t that look better with heels?” she said, as she threw on five-inch stilettos and strutted like a pro to the edge. Alanoud Badr clearly knows how to walk the talk.