Newsfeed
Middle Eastern female entrepreneurs are making a powerful impact on the global fashion and beauty scene.
From luxury fashion brands to sustainable beauty solutions, these women are blending innovation with tradition, creating products that captivate and inspire on a global scale.
Below, GRAZIA takes a look at some of the most influential trailblazers who are redefining the future of fashion and beauty.
Mariam Yehia
Mariam Yehia co-founded Mrs. Keepa in 2016 with her husband, creating a ready-to-wear brand focused on sustainability. Before launching her own clothing line, Yeya worked in the corporate world for 12 years. With a strong presence on social media with over 224,000 Instagram followers for Yehia and 46,000 for Mrs. Keepa, the brand has attracted attention from celebrities like Nicole Scherzinger, Shanina Shaik, Gizele Oliveira, Kelly Wearstler, and Nour Arida. Mrs. Keepa continues to merge high fashion with sustainability, making a significant impact in the Middle Eastern fashion scene.
Kawthar Alhoraish
Kawthar Alhoraish founded KAF BY KAF in 2019, creating a luxury fashion brand that quickly gained popularity in the Middle East. Known for contemporary designs that blend tradition with modernity, her brand has been worn by celebrities like Alicia Keys and Nojoud Alrumaihi. Inspired by her heritage, Kawthar creates bold, innovative designs that tell the stories behind her inspirations. She was nominated for the FTA award and partnered with Adidas for its first regional runway show earlier this year. Kawthar remains deeply engaged with her community, inspiring others and fostering an appreciation for Saudi heritage in fashion.
Dima & Tania Nawbar
Sisters Dima and Tania Nawbar represent the first female generation and fourth-generation jewellers in the Nawbar dynasty, which was founded over 120 years ago. The brand is now run by Dima and Tania who are joint CEOs and creative directors. Tania focuses on business development, while Dima handles client servicing for L’atelier Nawbar. The brand’s designs have been worn by celebrities like Gigi Hadid, Joey King, Halle Berry, and Charlize Theron. Nawbar’s jewelry is inspired by different eras and travels, weaving personal narratives into each piece, and creating designs that resonate deeply with wearers.
Aya & Mounaz Abdelraouf
Sisters Aya and Mounaz Abdelraouf founded OKHTEIN in 2014, a brand that specialises in luxury accessories handcrafted by Egyptian artisans. Both sisters learned the craft from local artisans and worked tirelessly to build their brand. Mounaz’s passion for jewellery and handbags led her to create small, occasion bags, while Aya’s minimalistic aesthetic balances her sister’s bold designs. OKHTEIN has been worn by celebrities like Beyoncé and Gigi Hadid and is known for combining traditional techniques with modern design. The brand’s commitment to supporting local artisans and promoting sustainable fashion has made it a standout in the luxury accessory market.
Sheena Zadeh-Daly
Sheena Zadeh-Daly is the founder of Kosas, a clean beauty brand that merges skincare and makeup with clinically tested, skin-nourishing formulas. Born to Iranian immigrants, Sheena’s passion for makeup began in her childhood. Although she initially pursued premed and business school, her love for beauty led her to work with a fine artist in Los Angeles before starting Kosas in 2015. Inspired by Middle Eastern beauty traditions, her brand focuses on radiant, holistic care, with products designed to enhance natural beauty while nourishing the skin. Kosas has grown significantly and garnered a loyal following, including influencers like Hailey Bieber, and is now available at major retailers like Sephora and Revolve.
Lama Jouni
Lama Jouni founded her namesake brand in 2015 as creative director after completing her studies in fashion history and tailoring at Parsons Paris. She gained valuable experience apprenticing at prestigious Parisian fashion houses like Balmain and Rad Hourani. The brand emphasizes sustainability, using biodegradable fabrics and producing limited-stock, demand-based collections. Her latest collection will be featured at Dubai Fashion Week, solidifying her place as a leader in sustainable fashion.
Negin Mirsalehi
Negin Mirsalehi, a Dutch-Iranian blogger, founded Gisou in 2015, a beauty brand inspired by her family’s six-generation beekeeping tradition. Negin grew up receiving compliments on her hair, which only intensified as she began blogging. However, it wasn’t until she shared her family’s beekeeping heritage on social media that her followers expressed a strong interest in it. This led her to launch Gisou with her fiancé, Maurits, in 2015. Today, Gisou is a globally recognized brand known for its cult-favourite products and its focus on sustainability and natural ingredients, especially Mirsalehi Honey, which is at the heart of its transformative haircare and skincare lines.
Dima Ayad
Dima Ayad, a Dubai-based Lebanese designer, launched her eponymous brand in 2010, offering dresses, kaftans, abayas, and jackets. Before turning to fashion, Dima worked in PR and marketing roles at Grumpy Gourmet, Dubai Holding, Raffles Dubai, and Atlantis The Palm, gaining valuable experience in hospitality marketing and communications. The idea for her label came when she couldn’t find stylish, extended-size clothing, so she decided to create her own. Celebrities like Melissa McCarthy, Ashley Graham, and Karen Wazen have worn her designs. Dima is also the CEO and founder of DAC Communications, a media, marketing, and PR agency.
Yasmin Mansour
Yasmin Mansour, the founder of her eponymous brand established in 2014, created one of the first luxury womenswear labels based in Qatar, drawing inspiration from Arab culture and traditional women’s clothing. Recently, she was awarded this year’s FTA Prize in the Eveningwear category. The brand’s other achievements include a collaboration with Nespresso and a sunglasses collection designed in partnership with Dutch designer Leo Vanweersch.
