{"id":54517,"date":"2025-03-07T15:03:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-07T15:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/what-to-wear-this-ramadan-a-selection-of-seasonal-collections-from-international-brands\/"},"modified":"2025-03-07T15:03:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-07T15:03:00","slug":"what-to-wear-this-ramadan-a-selection-of-seasonal-collections-from-international-brands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gulftimes.ae\/?p=54517","title":{"rendered":"What to wear this Ramadan: A selection of seasonal collections from international brands\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\tDUBAI: Siblings Razan and Ahmed Hassan are on a roll. Since the launch of their menswear label KML in 2022, the Saudi brand has rapidly gained recognition, most recently as a semi-finalist for the prestigious LVMH Prize \u2014 an annual award for young fashion designers run by the eponymous fashion conglomerate \u2014 placing them among global fashion\u2019s most promising new voices. And, in November, celebrity stylist Law Roach opted for a KML creation to wear to the \u201c1001 Seasons of Elie Saab\u201d event in Riyadh.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\tThrough creative director Ahmed\u2019s minimalist designs and sharp tailoring, KML, of which Razan is the owner, is reshaping Saudi menswear by reimagining traditional garments from the Kingdom\u2019s history through a contemporary lens: jackets with shawls, large leather belts of the type seen on Bedouin men, and skirts reminiscent of the ones historically worn by men in the Eastern Province, Jazan and Hijaz.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tAhmed says that their grandmother was a huge influence when he and his sister were growing up in Riyadh. He fondly recalls both her progressive nature and inimitable style. As a young boy, Ahmed would often accompany her to fabric shops so she could get her designs stitched by a local tailor. That exposure to craftsmanship left an impression, though fashion was not initially an obvious career path.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\t\u201cThe family would oppose my trips to the fabric stores,\u201d he tells Arab News. \u201cMy uncles would tell her she was ruining me, and her reply would be: \u2018Ahmed has taste, so why not?\u2019\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWhen he decided to venture into fashion, his grandmother wholeheartedly supported him when other family members expressed their concerns \u2014 concerns they had despite the fact that the family were progressive, with writers and poets among them, he says. With time, he realized their hesitation stemmed not from disapproval but from societal perceptions of men in the industry. \u201cThey wanted to protect me from the stigma associated with men in fashion,\u201d he explains.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tWith no formal fashion education programs for men in Saudi, Ahmed instead studied architecture, later interning at Zaha Hadid Architects, where he developed an appreciation for structure and form. Razan, meanwhile, pursued law at Prince Sultan University and she went on to practice it full-time.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\t\u201cOne summer, we both realized we weren\u2019t doing what we truly wanted to do, so I decided to go to the UK to study creative writing, and Ahmed went to Central Saint Martins (in London) for a few courses,\u201d Razan explains.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe pair often discussed starting a brand together, and they frequently talked about fashion, delving into historical research, while Ahmed continuously sketched \u2014 though he kept his drawings private.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt struck us that we have so much that we can bring to the realm of reality from our imagination. We wanted to do something meaningful. Tradition and intention were very important to us,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cRazan looked at me sketching, and was, like, \u2018You better do something with these. You better make them a reality.\u2019\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\tThat was the catalyst for the launch of KML. In August 2023, they launched their debut capsule collection. \u201cWe just did three shirts and two pairs of pants, and filled the studio walls with references, research and development sketches,\u201d explains Ahmed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tTowards the end of that year, they applied to the Saudi 100 Brands program. \u201cWhen we presented our sample pieces to (Saudi Fashion Commission CEO) Burak Cakmak, we didn\u2019t even talk about the brand. Instead, we discussed what fashion can and should be, and how people are going back to their roots and want to (express) their culture more.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThe Fashion Commission recognized their potential, providing support that led to KML showcasing its collections at fashion weeks in Paris, Riyadh and Milan.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cParis was a wonderful experience. People found our clothes rebellious\u2014especially the skirts for men,\u201d says Ahmed. \u201cBut it was rebellious to wear pants in Saudi Arabia 200 years ago! Men everywhere here wore skirts \u2014 there were different names for them.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tHowever, the historical relevance of the clothes was not immediately apparent to many online commentators.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWe\u2019re on a high right now, so we tend to forget the lows,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cWe were slaughtered on social media \u2014 people told us we were ruining the culture and how men look. It became toxic, so we quit social media temporarily to focus on our work.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tNeither KLM\u2019s skirts nor its wrap shirts with circular cut-outs at the back were intended to be controversial. Ahmed stresses that throughout the Kingdom\u2019s history, men\u2019s garments have been layered and draped, creating freedom of movement. KLM was simply offering a fresh perspective on them. \u201cPeople forget: 70 years ago, wearing jeans and a T-shirt in Saudi would have been considered controversial,\u201d he says. \u201cThe intention is not for it to be provocative. If anything, we are bringing back dying traditions.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\t
\n\t\tAhmed Hassan. (Supplied)<\/figcaption>
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\n\tDespite the social-media furor, the skirts sold out.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tMuch of Ahmed\u2019s design philosophy is rooted in cultural reinterpretation. The idea for cinched waists \u2014 or highlighting the waist in some way \u2014 was inspired by how Bedouin men would wrap a leather belt or fabric round their waists. He has also designed a long coat with hidden zippers that can be turned into a cropped jacket, highlighting that, traditionally, there have been multiple ways of styling a single garment.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tAnother key piece is the one-shoulder tunic. During their research, the siblings discovered that the one-shoulder silhouette was shared across ancient civilizations, from Greece to India \u2014 highlighting a universal connection.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tLast year, celebrity stylist Roach discovered their designs. What started as a casual Instagram message turned into a studio visit, during which Roach spent hours trying on their pieces.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\n\t\u201cWe thought he would just send someone to pick up a few items,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cInstead, he showed up himself, spent time with us, and repeatedly told us how this is a cultural product.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThen came recognition from the LVMH Prize \u2014 one of the most prestigious awards in the industry. \u201cThousands of designers apply, and only 20 make the cut. We were one of them. It still feels surreal,\u201d says Ahmed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tDespite their success, one of the siblings\u2019 biggest challenges is production. Currently, KML\u2019s garments are manufactured in Europe, but the ultimate goal is to bring everything back to Saudi Arabia.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe fashion ecosystem here is still developing, but we want everything \u2014 design, development and runway presentations \u2014 to be fully Saudi,\u201d Ahmed says. \u201cBeing a Saudi designer is great, but contributing to the bigger ecosystem? That\u2019s even more meaningful.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n