How Ramzen Became One of The First Saudi Brands To Show At MFW
From being inspired by Saudi weddings to channeling 80’s vibes within his most recently collection, the KSA-born Milan-raised designer shares the story behind his brand
Abdul Al-Romaizan, the scion of the Saudi family famed for its jewellery empire, has decided to take that creative spirit into the world of fashion. Last season he had a soft launch for his nascent fashion house Ramzen. Then in September, on the ultimate day of Milan Fashion Week, Abdul made a big splash in the fashion capital with a collection that telegraphed a vibrant, high-end glamour befitting a fashion house that calls Italy its home.
As its founder and creative director, Abdul’s goal with Ramzen, the name of which is an extrapolation of his nickname Ramz, is to focus on creating clothing that is elegant at its core but comes with a rebellious edge. Each collection will use as a starting point a moment from Abdul’s own personal experiences to drive the creative narrative. And for his sophomore offering he wanted to design a lineup that would act as a hopeful celebration of a return of life in all its splendour after the pandemic. Concretely for Abdul, this meant taking over the Palazzo Serbelloni for his presentation, the inclusion of dancers to open the show with a poetic ode to joy and a co-ed collection of over 40 womenswear and menswear looks. It was a lineup that used royal purple as a leitmotif hue and a bursting floral print pattern, which was reworked into both couture and ready-to-wear pieces, to anchor the collection.
A world traveller who was born in Saudi, grew up in Milan and studied in the United States, Abdul has long been fascinated by the many ways humanity expresses beauty, from modern art and jewellery to the written word and fashion. But it is through fashion that he feels his love for craftsmanship, creativity, and self-expression dovetail together most harmoniously. Harper’s Bazaar Saudi spoke exclusively with the designer the day before his first runway show to discover more about the dreams that Abdul hopes to fulfil for his growing clientele.
This fashion brand is a new endeavour for you. Your runway presentation in Milan is only the second season for Ramzen. What made you decide to launch a fashion house and why are you calling this first runway collection Gioia Di Vivere?
The brand was about three years in the making and we launched last July with the first collection, which was amazing, we got great feedback. We wanted to launch officially before we came here to Milan to do our first show, which also aligns with the opening of our first showroom here as well. In terms of the name of the collection, it seemed fitting after the difficult time that we went through in the making of the brand and in life in general with the COVID-19 situation. This idea of expressing this sense of joy for life, it felt right for the moment we are living in now. People now really appreciate life in a different way, and they understand the value of the simple pleasures in life. Also, we wanted to create a moment of happiness on the runway. So you will see a lot of beautiful colours, and vibrant prints. It will be a fireworks of happiness and joy.
Why was it important to you to found your company in Italy?
Being based in Milan is really an important step for us because credibility is crucial and Milan has the reputation for its quality and craftsmen. And the idea of Made in Italy isn’t just about creating the collection here, it’s also about the amazing Italian resources. Here you have the best leather factories, you have the best embroidery laboratories. You have the best materials, you have the best fabrics. I only want to be working with the best, and you find that in Italy.
Talk to us about your creative process with your team and how you come up with the overarching ideas for your collections?
The creative process really begins with me thinking of special moments in my life and then I try to translate that into a story that becomes sketches. I’m not the best illustrator, but I do the sketch. Sometimes I put together a mood board and then I sit down with my design team and begin the process of making a new collection.
This is such a classic question, but as yours is a new fashion house, I am curious to know if there is a particular person that you wanted to see in the collection or who you feel represents the look and attitude of Ramzen?
I would love to see Celine Dion wear Ramzen, because I think she is a strong woman who loves fashion and someone I really respected as a musical icon. When it comes to actresses, I think Eva Mendes is a very beautiful and fiery woman. I think she represents Ramzen in a very real way. I’d love to see something on her.
When you close your eyes and think back, what your first connection to fashion was, what comes to mind?
When I was young we lived in Saudi Arabia and for certain weddings or important celebrations, you’d see tailors and brands coming in from all over to do fittings for all of the women in the family. And I remember there being so much joy around that process, and that discovery of the final pieces, how happy it made everyone. That really made an impression when I was young and it has stayed with me to this day.
We know that your first collection was inspired in part by your love of the ’80s. Will we see a continuation of that aesthetic in this collection?
I’ve always seen this brand as a reflection of my personality and the chapters I’ve gone through in my life. I lived in Milan when I was young with my father so I saw first hand that beautiful era of fashion, in the eighties and the nineties, here in Italy. I remember I used to go to the store and buy all the Collezioni magazines. Then later when I got older, after college, I started to go to shows and I would introduce myself to designers. First I became a client and then I would become friends with them, and then some of them became mentors. I always like to learn from designers, I like to hear their stories and what they like to do and what experiences they went through.
Finally, how does it feel to be one of the first Saudi designers to be on the official Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana calendar?
I feel very proud to be honest because it’s something that I have always wanted to do since I was young. I’m surrounded by an amazing team and I couldn’t be any happier.
IMAGES: ALBERTO MADDALONI/IDI.SHOW