Alazzouni “Always had a love for everything and anything that had to do with fashion.” As a little girl she would sit in her mother’s dressing room, like most other young girls, and gape at the various articles of clothing. As she grew older, she realized that the Saudi fashion market did not cater to her taste and therefore pursued towards creating her own designs, which she would wear to weddings and social gatherings. After designing a dress for her friend, Natalya Rovner, for the Vanity Fair New Year’s party, the phone calls began non-stop, begging for Alazzouni to design and create other pieces for her friends. Alazzouni took this as a “Sign to establish a career that I had always desired.”
Alazzouni created her first full collection and established a company under her name, employing her like-minded siblings as her photographer and business manager. Strong inspiration emanates from light and fabric; “I get inspired by the fabrics I choose for the season. I always tend to sit for hours with little pieces of fabric surrounding me, and play with them to understand their movement and feel.” Many of her pieces are sculpturally and aesthetically designed, embodying the female form and allowing one to radiate femininity. As a result of studying sculpture, Alazzouni’s sophisticated pieces are not solely fashion pieces, they are works of art. The designer admits she has a tendency to bead everything possible. “I think my beading represents how jewelry has been essential in my culture. I turn my clothes into jewelry I guess,” Alazzouni muses, pauses, and continues “A woman’s femininity is what sets her apart from other females. The way a woman carries herself changes the way people look at her and the way they look at the clothes she’s wearing.”
As a graduate from a Fine Arts school, Alazzouni doesn’t think it is necessary that one study fashion in order to become a successful fashion designer. Citing Karl Lagerfeld, creative director of Chanel, as an example and inspiration and who is in fact an architect. Alazzouni believes that “In order to excel in any field, you need to educate yourself about the ins and outs of the industry,” and emphasized that “social networking is the most important tool to have a successful start up, specifically in the Middle East.”
Not only does Alazzouni cater to the fashion taste of Saudi and Middle Eastern women, she also appeals to Western women. This year Alazzouni dressed a number of Hollywood celebrities, including Anna Sophia Robb and Emma Roberts, launching her name into the American market and onto the tips of every fashionista’s tongue.
Alazzouni has taken Western fashion trends and has integrated them into Saudi culture and society. She believes the Saudi fashion market has changed drastically and she is extremely proud to see “Saudi women try to break the boundaries of fashion that are socially imposed in their society.” There is currently an expanding pool of variety, which is aiding people in Saudi Arabia to develop their own style and “adapt their clothes to their personality, rather than change their personality to suit their clothing.” Alazzouni’s designs are available for sale on her website: www.razanalazzouni.com and are also found at boutiques around the Kingdom. In the near future, we will hopefully be able to see Alazzouni beautify an international clientele.