RIYADH: Riyadh-born Tala Abukhaled is the founder, designer, and creative director of the luxury bohemian ready-to-wear label Rebirth. Established in 2021, the sustainable slow-fashion brand for men and women that is intended to celebrate and revive Saudi artistic heritage in unique, modern, statement pieces, reflecting the Kingdom’s current cultural transformation.
Rebirth, Abukhaled tells Arab News, is related to “anything that has to do with being free, being connected to Earth, or being inspired by nature. It all comes back to that bohemian feel, using natural materials in the designs.
“For me, what you wear reflects who you are,” she continues. “You can be whoever you want. It can give you confidence, even change the way you act, so it’s really important.”
Fashion has been a long-time passion for Abukhaled. “Ever since I was young, I knew I wanted to do something in the creative field and the arts, but I didn’t decide what until I started applying for university. Growing up, I really did care about what I was wearing and styling my wardrobe, so that led me to (study for a) degree in fashion design and patternmaking (from French fashion institute ESMOD).”
The bohemian — or “boho” — style that Abukhaled favors has long been associated with avant-garde non-conformists and has had a major impact on artistic styles over centuries. It generally promotes a free-spirited approach to creativity, borrowing from other art forms but not sticking to any rigid design doctrines. Natural color palettes, ethnic prints, and comfort are significant features of bohemian fashion.
Social media has made boho styles even more popular, but the Kingdom has not previously produced a brand that identifies so obviously with the style. After some experimentation with her brand’s creative direction, it was this gap in the market that Abukhaled identified.
“If I want to shop ‘luxury bohemian,’ it’s very hard to find and it’s not readily available everywhere,” she explains. “I really built on that idea.”
However, it wasn’t just a market-research-driven decision, Abukhaled points out. “I’m kind of a reflection of my brand and its spirit,” she says. “A lot of people (assume) I’m from Jeddah, because it’s more beach-y and free-spirited, when actually I’m not.”
Her latest collection takes inspiration from Saudi palm trees. It features beach resort-inspired garments including fishnet hoodies that nod to the historic coastal fishing trade to statement neck pieces that repurpose dried palm fronds. Boho is on full display in the collection’s eclectic mix of traditional materials — including flax seed, raffia, and palm wood beads — with modern designs.
“I also made other collections like my line that incorporates bisht embroidery into the designs in a way that hasn’t been showcased before,” Abukhaled adds. “(And I’ve used) the shemagh in new colors and ways.”
Her Bisht collection featured the titular embroidered embellishments on a bomber jacket, palazzo pants, and an asymmetrical choker top, as well as a redesign of the traditional shalki fabric into a corset top, which she called “A Modern Heirloom.”
“I hope that Rebirth preserves some art and culture,” she says. “We also want to tell stories through our pieces. Each one has a story to tell.”
And those stories are not solely focused on the Kingdom. In October, Rebirth produced a line in honor of Palestine. An Instagram post for one of the pieces was accompanied by text that read: “Each stitch representing a thread of hope, the Palestinian embroidery will forever be engraved on our skin, and we’ve represented this sentiment by creating a piece from delicate white tulle finely stitched using the Palestinian embroidery method. The cuffs, which securely embrace your wrists, symbolize unity by lacing the rope through each loop of transparent fabric, signifying the diverse community we have become.”
Abukhaled places great emphasis on sustainability for her brand. None of her pieces are mass-produced, instead she champions the circular production model, meaning each piece of fabric is used to its fullest extent.
“Honestly it’s crazy how many leftover fabrics, dead stock, and even stitched garments go to waste each year,” she says. “I started noticing it even more when I started producing ethically. Going to malls or entering a store and seeing racks and racks of the same product just became so overwhelming.” she said.
According to the US National Library of Medicine, the global fashion industry produces 92 million tons of waste annually. And that figure is expected to rise to 134 million by the end of 2030.
“So, I felt like I needed to stress that,” says Abukhaled. “I love that sustainability is such a growing aspect globally now — and in KSA as well. It’s the fastest growing segment of fashion.”
However, the designer notes that sourcing sustainable materials means spending more money; a fact that has forced her to search out fabrics in Turkiye, India, and other countries.
“Looking back to when I started, I got slapped left and right by the mistakes (I made),” she says. “But that’s the only way to learn when starting a business.
“Don’t be afraid to ask for support from the government,” she adds, citing the General Authority for Small and Medium Enterprises, (Monsha’at) and other programs including the Fashion Commission’s Saudi 100 Brands initiative as helpful resources.
“They’re offering us so much support. You just need to know where to go. They’re there and ready to help you,” she said.
That support is already helping Abukhaled to establish Rebirth on the global scene. She recently signed an agreement with New York concept store DOORS NYC, which will take the brand’s name to one of the world’s great fashion capitals.
Abukhaled also promises that she’ll be announcing an “exciting project” soon, and suggests that boho enthusiasts “stay on the lookout.”
