Bazaar Belief: Kholoud Attar On The Importance of Trusting Your Instincts, Standing Up For Your Ideas and Fighting For What You Believe In
“I tend not to spend too much time stopping and recognising my achievements to keep myself focused on the next objective…”
Founder of Jeddah-based Design Magazine, KAAPH Media – and the first Saudi businesswoman to acquire a film distribution license, Kholoud Attar enjoys creating visuals that last as representative of Saudi’s cultural renaissance.
Defining career moment?
When I fought to keep the company going at its lowest point.
What part of your work are you most proud of?
All the designers and people who the magazine helped over the years, that we had a role to play in them getting more recognition for their work.
Describe yourself in three words…
Enthusiastic, Risk taker, Passionate
Who is your career role model and why?
Dr. Zuhair Fayez. I learnt from him the art of storytelling, diplomacy of business and most importantly to always work to lift people with you as you succeed.
Proudest achievement?
When my grandmother finally understood what I do.
Biggest sense of achievement?
I tend not to spend too much time stopping and recognising my achievements to keep myself focused on the next objective.
What life-defining moment changed the way you think about everything?
When my father trusted me to manage his business alongside mine. My sense of responsibility towards life and what I need to do completely shifted.
Who or what is your biggest inspiration?
Watching others fulfilling their dreams. I know personally how hard it is, and to see someone reaching their dreams truly inspires me.
What are you most passionate about and why?
Creating. Whether it’s creating a mood for a space, an art piece or bringing a concept to life.
What do you most frequently dream about?
I’m constantly designing spaces and things and executing them to detail in my head.
What does family mean to you?
They are my warm circle of trust.
What motivates you?
Ticking off boxes on my goals list.
What effect do you have on others?
People tend to open up to me, as I listen intently and appreciate people as they truly are.
What do you listen to most – your head, heart or gut – and why?
My gut has never let me down so far but my heart has a nagging voice while my brain sits in the corner knowing its murmurs will never be considered.
The key to success is…
Resilience and having faith while you stand up for your ideas.
Biggest regret?
It’s a toss up between not investing in opportunities at an earlier stage in life and losing touch with many great people.
If you wrote a book one day, what would it be about?
It would be a visual art book journey about how funny and silly human nature is.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s November 2021 Issue