Bazaar Beliefs: Sarah A. Abdallah On The Key To Success, Life-Defining Moments and What Feeds Her Soul
“I believe that being a woman of colour, and excelling in my field – being a thought leader, shows the next generation they can do it too…”
This award-winning CEO and founder of global design studio Functional Creative Design spends her time between NYC and the Middle East and has worked on innovative projects including Ritz Carlton and InterContinental hotels in Cairo and Al Ghadeer villas in Dubai. Sarah is an advocate of adopting a 360° view of sustainability in all her work. She shares her words of wisdom with Bazaar Beliefs here…
Defining career moment?
When I was winning awards for designing under other firms, I truly knew I was ready to stand on my own.
Describe yourself in three words…
Imaginative, Strong, Kind.
Who is your career role model and why?
There so many individuals that I truly admire, I am driven by their ways of pushing boundaries and disrupting the status quo – some of those would-be Bernard Khoury, David Adjaye, Ian Schrager – I am here to do the same for women of colour.
Proudest achievement?
I worked on the InterContinental Semiramis in Cairo where I helped redesign the lobby and also designed a private dining space that typically is used for officials and dignitaries, and of course taking the leap of faith in myself to set up my own business.
How important is sustainability to you?
Extremely important. I am LEED (green building) certified, and that accreditation took months of studying, learning additional technical areas like engineering and exterior building. With my dyslexia it was not easy, but I was determined to pass the exam – let’s say third time is charm!
For me, true sustainability is a 360 view – not just specifying FSC certified woods, low VOC paints, recycled materials for a project, it is engaging with local artisans and con-tractors to see how we can donate materials that can be salvaged from the demo phase of a project, we also identify local trade this helps reduce carbon foot print and allows us to help the local economy.
The key to success is…
Believing wholeheartedly in yourself
What life-defining moment changed you?
Three years ago, I had an 11cm tumour that had a 50% chance of being cancerous. Thankfully it was benign, but that truly made me look at everything I did through a dif-ferent lens. I now ask myself: Is this experience, person, client or path providing me with the utmost joy?
What are you most passionate about and why?
I believe that being a woman of colour, and excelling in my field – being a thought leader, shows the next generation they can do it too. I saw no one that looked like me, growing up as a first generation American and it made me feel isolated, less confident and it took me longer to find my own voice. When you’re able to have role models early on it helps to grow in a more holistic manner.
What feeds your soul?
Being in motion. I was a varsity athlete in Track & Field and Cross Country and I con-tinue to run to feel grounded. I call it my moving mediation. I also love dancing, it brings me immense joy!
My greatest joy is…
Random acts of kindness.
Tell us about your work with communities…
After 9/11, I saw so many women including my own mom who were working in New York and wearing a hijab that couldn’t hail a cab, women in Brooklyn who wore the hijab where getting assaulted daily. I got together with a few others and started the NY chapter of Network of Arab American Professionals where our main focus was to hold town hall meetings in churches around the city to educate the New York City community at large about the Arab American Community. I dedicated my evenings, nights and weekends for two years.
Follow @sarahabdallah on Instagram. From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s April 2021 issue.
