How Queen Rania of Jordan’s clothes hardly cost a thing

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Queen Rania, known for her exquisite style, sometimes uses the borrowing system from fashion houses. (AFP)
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Most of Queen Rania's clothes were either "offered as gifts by fashion houses or borrowed, or purchased at reduced special prices."(AFP)
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Queen Rania with the king and crown prince. (Twitter)
Updated 06 January 2019
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How Queen Rania of Jordan’s clothes hardly cost a thing

  • Most of the Jordanian queen’s clothes are borrowed, gifted or bought at reduced prices, her office says
  • Clarification was issued to counteract a yearly estimate of royals’ wardrobe spending, and the blog has now taken her off its list

RIYADH: The office of Queen Rania of Jordan offered an explanation on Thursday of her clothing costs to pre-empt inaccurate reports published by some fashion-related bloggers at the beginning of the year about the cost of royal wardrobes.

The Queen's office issued a statement confirming that most of her clothes were either "offered as gifts by fashion houses or borrowed, or purchased at reduced special prices."

Defending how Queen Rania, known for her exquisite style, sometimes uses the borrowing system, the office said: “Some may deplore the principle of ‘borrowing clothes,’ but it is a universally accepted practice among fashion houses as a way to highlight their designs.”




Most of Queen Rania's clothes were either "offered as gifts by fashion houses or borrowed, or purchased at reduced special prices." (AFP)

The office continued: “Some may deplore the fact that a person of Her Majesty's status accepts the principle of ‘borrowing,’ but we do not advertise or promote fashion on any of Her Majesty's pages on social networking platforms, unless the designs are Jordanian.” 

The office added: “Last year, the ‘UFO No More’ estimates of Her Majesty's spending on clothing were circulated. In view of their assessments that is far from reality and truth, we have asked their sponsors not to include Her Majesty in the annual reports of their blog.”

The blog Unidentified Fashion Objects "UFO No More" reported in early 2018 that the cost of Queen Rania's clothes amounted to more than €267,000 in 2017, based on estimates of what she wore. She was ranked first among 11 female royals, ahead of the UK’s Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William.




Queen Rania with the king and crown prince. (Twitter)

The UFO No More blog appears to have taken the clarification into account as it did not publish her estimate in its just-released 2018 report. “After discussions with the Royal Hashemite Court and the Office of Her Majesty Queen Rania, we have taken Her Majesty out of our tally and off of our website,” it said. “As a result of our discussions with members of the Court, we determined it was best for Her Majesty and UFONoMore.com to remove her from our tally and website.” 

In its annual report for 2017, the Code stated that the average price of an item in Queen Rania’s wardrobe was more than €1,700 for a total of 191 new pieces during the year.

But Queen Rania's office pointed out in its statement that these blogs rely solely on market value for clothing, creating a “false impression of reality.”


Saudi label KML unveils new collection in Paris

Updated 21 January 2026
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Saudi label KML unveils new collection in Paris

DUBAI: Siblings Razan and Ahmed Hassan presented their Fall/Winter 2026–2027 collection at Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, continuing the rapid rise of their KML label.

The duo has gained international recognition since launching the brand in 2022, most recently being named semifinalists for the LVMH Prize — a prestigious annual award for emerging designers.

Creative director Ahmed’s minimalist designs and sharp tailoring mean KML — owned by his sister, Razan — has built its identity around reimagining traditional Saudi garments through a contemporary lens. Jackets are paired with shawl-like elements, large leather belts recall those historically worn by Bedouin men, and skirts nod to silhouettes once worn by men in the Eastern Province, Jazan and the Hijaz.

The collection leans on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions. (Getty Images)

The approach is reflected in the new collection, which features a restrained palette of black, white and muted earth tones, leaning on wrap constructions, asymmetry and elongated proportions.

Flowing skirts, structured wrap tops and robe-like coats dominate the lineup, with some looks referencing classical draping while others lean toward utilitarian dressing, defined by sharp shoulders, cinched waists and clean, architectural lines.

In a previous interview with Arab News, Ahmed said their grandmother was a huge influence on their lives as he and his sister grew up in Riyadh. He fondly recalled both her progressive nature and inimitable style. As a young boy, Ahmed would often accompany her to fabric shops so she could get her designs stitched by a local tailor. The experience left an impression, though fashion was not an obvious initial career path.

Ahmed studied architecture and became an intern at Zaha Hadid Architects, where he developed an appreciation for structure and form. Razan, meanwhile, pursued law at Prince Sultan University and she went on to practice full-time.

“One summer, we both realized we weren’t doing what we truly wanted to do, so I decided to go to the UK to study creative writing, and Ahmed went to Central Saint Martins (in London) for a few courses,” Razan explained.

That was the catalyst for KML. In August 2023, they launched their debut capsule collection and towards the end of that year they applied to the Saudi 100 Brands program. The Fashion Commission recognized their potential, helping KML launch collections at fashion weeks in Paris, Riyadh and Milan.