‘Being Arab has influenced me to be open,’ Gigi Hadid tells Vogue Arabia
Updated 27 February 2019
Arab News
DUBAI: US-Palestinian model Gigi Hadid has been unveiled as the cover star of Vogue Arabia’s second anniversary issue.
The magazine features a photoshoot and exclusive interview with the 23-year-old, who opens up about her upbringing.
“A lot of people make assumptions about my family, but our childhood wasn’t ‘Hollywood.’ My parents never made their success an excuse for me, I always knew that after high school I was expected to work towards supporting myself, so I never put all my eggs in the modeling basket,” Hadid told Vogue Arabia.
“Being Arab has influenced me to be open and loving of all backgrounds, realizing that being more of one thing doesn’t make you less of something else,” she added.
This marks Hadid’s 37th Vogue magazine cover to date and her second for Vogue Arabia.
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.
