Saudi Designer Kawthar Alhoraish On Colour, Craftsmanship and The Influence of KSA Culture Within Her Creations
The designer has found a way to tell unique stories, creating pieces for daring women in search of bold looks and bright hues
Colours can change our outlook on life. And for Riyadh-born designer Kawthar Alhoraish, founder of Kaf-by-Kaf, colours gave her a doorway through which she could make her creative escape from her desert climate surroundings. “My entry into the world of fashion was mere coincidence. I loved fashion but did not know that I had the gift for it. When those around me are astonished by one of my designs, little do they know that I am surprised as well. I was unaware of my abilities in this field,” she explains.
Kawthar comes from a family of academics, but the rules and regulations of that professional path were not the way forward for her. “My mother majored in chemistry, my father in engineering, and my siblings followed the academic path, one that I was expected to follow as well. My sisters excelled academically, unlike me, and although my family does not understand my choices or my creative direction most of the time, they were supportive enough for me to pursue it,” says the designer.
But in the beginning, Kawthar struggled to make it in the fashion world. “While growing up in Riyadh, I could not find a presence for fashion designers. My interest in the field was limited to styling my outfits, and although my choices shocked those around me, they embraced them without any disapproval,” she says.
Kawthar ended up majoring in architecture but later found a workaround into fashion by establishing Kaf-by-Kaf in 2019. The brand showcases elegant designs of long coats and sweaters that can be worn as abayas, and ready-to-wear fashion that is both bold and different. “When I first established the brand, I did not think that colourful pieces would find success in our society. But to my surprise, these were amongst the best-selling ones. Now women look to Kaf-by-Kaf for daring colours and pieces.” But this brand was not enough of a creative outlet for Kawthar, who decided to also launch Art-by-Kaf last year. “Kaf-by-Kaf depicts the self I present to others, while Art-by-Kaf resembles my innermost self,” explains Kawthar.
She admits that her designs for Art-by-Kaf are inspired by her feelings and the details of her everyday life, exactly as she would make her styling choices in the past. Through the brand, she tells stories and paints various pictures creatively, which may or may not be understood by the general public. “I am well aware that avant-garde design might not find an audience in KSA nor in the Arab World, as humans tend to oppose what they do not know. This was the issue I faced when I launched the brand. I do not expect to convince people of this genre but I hope that they can appreciate the high level of craftsmanship and design that it carries,” she says with passion in her voice.
When Art-by-Kaf first debuted, Kawthar wanted to portray the progress and empowerment of women in society by launching The Reborn collection. “In these designs, the headscarf resembles the stereotypical image of women in the past, as each of us looked exactly like the other, however, under this veil, we are completely different, each with a unique depth to herself. You may notice some similarity in the headscarves in this collection, but each design is different in colour and the type of knot,” she recounts.
Recently Kawthar was tasked with creating a design that depicts Saudi culture for the 100 Saudi Brands exhibition launched by the Fashion Commission affiliated with the Ministry of Culture, which was unveiled at the end of last year. “The Fashion Commission asked us to present a design that depicts our history, and although I grew up in Riyadh, my history can be traced back to Hail,” says the designer about the inspiration behind the garment she created, which she titled The Dress of Hail. The Fashion Commission’s request awakened feelings of belonging in Kawthar, and because she rarely visited Hail, she decided to portray it as she imagined it to be.
“I know Hail, its heritage, its people’s traditions and everything in it. The city is known for its people’s generosity. Using my imagination, I designed a dress with wide sleeves and a wide hem to portray this generosity and hospitality. This was the starting point. I then referenced the city’s history and heritage and discovered that its history can be traced back to the BC era. With that in mind, I wanted to present a design inspired by historical eras,” she reflects.
“The selection of antique gold for the colour of the engravings on the dress embodies this rich history. I pictured the hyacinth fields in northern Hail, which inspired the shape and colour of the embroidery. Due to the variety of history in the region, we used twelve colours for the embroidery beads, amounting to more than half-a-million beads used in the same dress. This dress does not have any random components, it underwent many stages of research, design and execution to appear in its final form at the exhibition,” she continues.
Each Art-by-Kaf design tells a specific story. And in the same way that the Dress of Hail told that city’s story, the Warrior of Najd ensemble, presented by Kawthar at the Saudi Cup, sought to depict the power of women.
“A woman’s strength might not be physical, therefore I showcased Najd Female Warrior to embody the emotional strength that a woman possesses, which can be equal to the physical strength of a man or even surpass it, as she is indeed a warrior. The design draws inspiration from the traditional Najdi menswear, the Morawdan, to which we added the antique dagger,” she explains.
The designer is currently doing a profound exploration of her feelings as the next sartorial story she will tell is that of her wedding dress – or dresses: “One dress could not possibly fit the multiple ideas crowding my mind for my wedding day look, which is why I decided to wear two dresses, both produced by Art-by-Kaf,” she reveals.
Kawthar believes that her wedding dress will be an heirloom that she keeps forever, which is why she is sparing no effort to make sure it is perfect. “I am fond of classical designs, and picture my wedding dress with endless details, to the point that my tailors warned me of the dress’ weight, but I could not care less since I will only wear it for a little while but will hold on to it forever.”
In just three short years Kaf-by-Kaf has become a homegrown fashion brand that is shaping the features and the future of Saudi culture as it contributes to the establishment of the local fashion industry. But for Kawthar, she is just taking her success one day at a time. “I am always asked about my vision for the brand’s future, but three years ago, I did not expect to be where I am now, as Kaf-by-Kaf pieces are sold in several stores across the Arab World and the globe. And Art-by-Kaf is representing the nation at major events, which is why I cannot picture the future and cannot aspire for better.”
Photography by Lina Qummosani. Styling by Kawthar Alhoraish. Model: Renada Kandeel. Hair & Make-Up: Dessange Jeddah Salon. Production: Saudi Style Council. Creative Director: Marriam Mossalli. Production Manager: Hala Al-Abdali
From Harper’s Bazaar Saudi’s Summer 2022 issue.