Al-Aama: I expect more women leaders and decision-makers to step forward

JEDDAH: With an experience of more than 19 years in IT, coupled with a strong educational background in computing, Arwa Al-Aama’s goal is to participate in Saudi Arabia’s technological advancement. As vice mayor at Jeddah municipality’s IT department, she is the first woman to hold a leadership role in IT in a Saudi governmental agency.

Her work has resulted in the municipality winning 8 prestigious awards in IT. She also holds the position of vice mayor for women’s affairs, in which she pursues her second personal goal - empowering Saudi women. In this role, Al-Aama opened up new job opportunities to women in municipal services in the Kingdom and is responsible for improving the quality of municipal services provided to women.

Al-Aama is also a member of the executive committee for the Saudi National eGovernment Plan and the Saudi National Science and Technology Plan. Al-Aama spoke to Arab News about her views on the Kingdom’s development in the next few years.

The following are excerpts from the interview:

Rapid changes

What changes will have a major impact on the lives of Saudi nationals within the next 20 years?

We have witnessed many changes over the past three to four years in this country. In the coming period, I expect more female leaders and decision makers to step forward. I also expect more focus on globalization by opening up investment possibilities to foreign investors in the Saudi market. I expect the next generation of women to be stronger and more independent.”

Leadership factors

What do you think of current leadership roles in the Kingdom’s various organizations and what are the contributing factors?

We are expecting more educated people and PhD holders to return to the Kingdom, so the competition for the leadership role will be tough. In the past, such a competition hardly existed due to a lack of candidates with a PhD or Masters degree. I think the standards for choosing a leader will be much higher and developed. Leadership will not be exclusive to certain groups. For example, the appointment of Adel Fakeih as labor minister indicates a change in skills that are now expected of a leader. Fakeih came from the private sector and then he worked in the government sector. This is why he understands the needs of merchants, citizens and government employees.

Challenging tasks

What are the most difficult challenges that need to be met with in the Kingdom within the next 20 years?

I think the difficulty will lie in how to convince society about any new decision. For example, any changes affecting the role of women are always difficult to become accepted and implemented. Our experience in the municipality is a model story. We faced difficulties when all people refused our work in the municipality, but when we did a great job and won many awards, the male employees started to believe in the importance of our contribution. Today, about four departments called for the employment of women. All in all, women have to work as well as men within the framework of Islamic law.

Creative project

Can you give an example of a creative project you would like to establish in the Kingdom?

I would like to change the communication management system. Each government sector has its own system with a high budget. Building such a system requires a lot of time and money. For example, we paid SR9 million and dedicated 18 months to implement this system. The government wastes billion of riyals and a lot of time on these management communication systems. I would like to set up a company that creates this system and distributes it to other sectors for free.

KSA in three words

What three words would you use to describe the Kingdom in the next 20 years and why?

I would describe Saudi Arabia as an Islamic lighthouse, a lighthouse for civilization and as the Kingdom of the Two Holy Mosques. I chose these descriptions because I want the Kingdom to guide people. I believe the Kingdom should be a beacon to other countries. Actually, we have Islamic rules and we implement some of them, but we don’t fully enjoy Islamic morals. For example, we want to deal with corruption and even get rid of it in consonance with Islamic rules. We should then also put an end to bad streets, and the marriage of underage girls and many other violations. Once we eliminate these, the Kingdom would be truly an Islamic and a lighthouse to civilization.

Responsibility of officials

What characteristics do you think are important for officials in the Kingdom and how would these characteristics contribute toward the Kingdom’s further development?

Enjoying the Islamic morals and implementing them is the most important characteristic that each leader should have. Characteristics that each leader should have include understanding people’s backgrounds, accepting others’ ethics, respecting people’s culture and knowing very well what a leader should be doing. Leaders should also have a great love for their country.

Human rights

How can we improve on human rights in Saudi Arabia and what are your expectations in this field for the next 20 years?

In the next 20 years, Saudi nationals will make more progress in the human rights field. I would like to shift this responsibility to a ministry. Such an initiative would certainly change things. In the Kingdom, a large number of divorce cases are pending in court. Children’s rights are also ignored in most divorce cases. Marrying off little girls is also a violation of human rights, and these phenomena must be stopped. I expect much improvement in solving problems related to workers’ rights. Minister of Labor Adel Fakeih is working hard to ensure the rights of citizens and expatriates.

Biggest challenge

What is the biggest challenge facing the Kingdom today?

The Kingdom is too big and it has many different backgrounds and culture. The biggest challenge is to satisfy the society as a whole.

Neglected sectors

What are the most prominent economic activities in the Kingdom and what are neglected sectors that need to be developed?

The most active sectors in the Kingdom are food and textiles. In contrast, the most neglected sectors are health clubs for women. We need a ministry to allow investment opportunities in the health clubs and gym sectors. We also need to have permission to establish institutions and training centers. Unfortunately, many Saudi students return from abroad carrying certificates in rare fields that are still neglected in the Saudi market, so they can’t use their expertise. I would also like to create institutions to train Saudis for different careers and boost Saudization. Saudis would be happy to prepare themselves for a career in official institutions.

Housing growth

There is a huge demand for housing in the Kingdom because of the increasing young population. The government has allocated SR250 billion to housing. Do you believe the housing sector needs much attention from the government and private sector?

We need options for Saudi nationals to own houses. I think affordable housing projects will not satisfy all segments of society. For example, people with medium salaries will not accept a two-room house. I advise government organizations to benefit from the practice of Saudi Aramco, which provides loans to its staff. Employees must pay monthly fees. Also, women should be allowed to rent houses and sign contracts with the apartment owners. Unfortunately, many successful women, who are divorced or widowed, can’t rent a house, only because they don’t have a husband or ‘mahram’ (a male guardian). I think, widows and divorced women should be allowed to live in buildings meant for families.

Role of SMEs

There is a need to boost small business enterprises (SME) in the Kingdom, as it creates various jobs. What role do you see for SMEs in the Kingdom’s economic development?

The sector is considered to be very important as it promotes innovation. However, I feel an organization should lead the sector and it should organize SMEs’ activities and support them. For example, this organization could provide young people with loans, and offer training and support with the help of experienced businessmen.

Knowledge hunt

Education has always been a priority of the Saudi government. What changes would you recommend for the education system to prepare Saudi youth for work in a knowledge-based economy?

Many skills are absent in our students, such as presentation skills, IT skills and communication skills, as well as the English language. Such skills have to be taught from the first day at school. In universities, we need to create fields that serve the needs of the labor market. We need public relations colleges, graphic design and many other fields that are really not taught in Saudi public universities at the moment. We should establish more vocational training institutions in the Kingdom. Youth in the US prefer these to universities. I think such institutions would receive many students.

Fair opportunities

How do you see Saudi women contributing to the workforce and the political arena in the future?

We need to make it easier for Saudi women to invest their money in the Kingdom. Now, most women keep their money in banks for no clear reason. I advise the Ministry of Commerce to initiate investigating this issue and start supporting women to invest. Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah recently decided to allow women to participate in the Shoura Council and municipal elections. This will surely affect the lives of Saudi women. In addition, women are working in Saudi embassies abroad and in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I hope to see women as ministers.

Women’s future role

How do you see the future role of Saudi women?

I think women have to understand our society’s background and follow the Islamic restrictions. They should not cross our social and Islamic limits. I have seen many businesswomen and leaders not respecting the Islamic and social rules. Women have to respect the work environment and the audience they are targeting while they represent the Kingdom.

Media standards

What measures and standards are yet to be applied in Saudi media and what are your expectations?

Facebook and Twitter’s main aim is to open a discussion between people without standards. At the same time, official pages belonging to government organizations should be restricted with certain rules, so the people cannot create rumors and post them. During the Jeddah flood in 2009, our Facebook page was buzzing with rumors from people. The IT team refused to close the page, so we started observing the page 24 hours a day, updating it and making sure that it was free of rumors. Identity theft issues should be solved to ensure the rights of government offices.
I advise social media organizations to ask for an identity certificate to make sure that no fake pages are opened. I expect the social media phenomenon to continue as when people get the freedom to speak and deliver their voice, they will never ignore this media again.

Social media

What impact will social media have on change in the Kingdom?

People are communicating through social media to launch campaigns, help poor people and call for their needs. For example, in Ramadan, my daughter and some of her friends organize meals for the poor through social media. I believe that social media helps to empower the new generation.

Traditional media

What impact has the social media had on the Kingdom’s traditional media?

I believe that social media will never kill traditional media. Social media has many advantages such as interactivity with readers. Traditional media can show pictures in different sizes, whereas social media have no space for them.”

Learning from past

What main mistakes have been repeated in the Kingdom over the past 10 years? How could we eliminate these to help the Kingdom develop?

The flood catastrophe was a big mistake and I wish it will not be repeated. Another mistake that I would like to avoid is in the government purchase system. This system allows for big mistakes that may lead to catastrophes. A unified system that lists corruption and assembles a blacklist could ensure that such mistakes would never be repeated. Some Umrah pilgrims also cause issues when they come to the Kingdom and stay forever without an iqama (resident permit). We don’t have a system to monitor illegal expatriate workers.

Sustainable development

What should leaders in government and private sectors do to ensure the Kingdom’s growth and sustainable development?

I wish that our leaders would learn from the experiences of others, see best practices in the world and plan ahead for the coming years. Their plans should match with the needs of the country and its various organizations.

Message to youth

With youth making up the majority of the Saudi population, what message would you want to give them and what would you say to the rest of the population?

I am very proud of our young people. They are very ambitious. I want to highlight that our youth need to be proud of their country, their language, and their religion. I also want to say that older generations should be proud of the king and the country.

UN allow female soccer players to wear head scarves

A senior UN official says the organization supports rules that would allow female soccer players to wear head scarves during games.

In a statement on February 29, Wilfried Lemke, the secretary-general's special adviser on sport for development and peace, urged the head of FIFA, the international body governing soccer, to allow Dutch-designed, Velcro-fastened head scarves in FIFA-regulated matches.

He said the change would "remove a barrier that can deter women and girls" from participating in football.

Last year, Iran's national women's team was prevented from playing an Olympic Games qualifying match against Jordan because they refused to remove their head scarves

Flaunt your personality with Nihal Basha handbags

In these difficult times, customers are shopping more intelligently: There is much greater value put on bags that will stand the test of time and a return to a well-made product. This is the case with Hermes. This iconic high-end brand, known for its timeless bags, is thriving. Demand for its famous Kelly and Birkin is so strong that waiting lists can stretch up to several years and the average annual growth is 14.7 percent.

The downturn has also uncovered a new trend: A dwindling appeal for logos associated with lavish lifestyles. Exclusivity is no longer restricted to expensive brands. There is a growing consensus that less is more and that anonymity is the key to being recognized.

This tendency has triggered women’s interest for small and unknown brands. Nihal Basha is one of them. The brand is the brainchild of Cairo-based Nihal Basha who was a freelance food stylist before she started her handbag business.

“It all began when I decided to design my own bags, which my friends loved. So, I started creating more bags…People enjoyed the style and believed the price was a good value for money. I am still here and I am hoping to maintain a wider fan base not only in the Middle East but worldwide,” said Basha.

She defines her style as simple and authentic. “A bag is a very important accessory for every woman. It simply identifies her. Over and above, we need practical bags to fit our daily life style,” she says.

Basha favors unfussy shapes like the tote, the perfect carryall for these post-luxury recessionary times. A tote bag is large and open with a handle centered atop each side. The standard blueprint includes one large pocket, occasionally with dividers or small inset pockets. Most totes provide some type of closure, typically a zipper, tie or magnet at the top opening.

It is interesting to know that the signature trend of tote bags began in 1944 when LL Beans designed a basic canvas bag for the boater crowd. Women were immediately attracted to the practical side of this bag.

The tote became common in the 1950s, a time when women’s handbags focused more on practicality rather than style. Then, Bonnie Cashin, a popular Coach designer, created the Cashin Carry tote bags in the 1960s. However, it was really the genial Kate Spade who transformed the basic tote into a feminine and stylish bag. The tote has become an indispensable accessory ever since.

Basha has introduced a popular line of practical and stylish totes. This versatile “everything” bag is available in many colors including an eye-catching leopard print leather.

Beside her best-selling items, “El Hayat” and “The Coins,” her iconic bag decorated with 50 piaster coins, Basha also specializes in clutch bags, which unlike tote bags, are not a modern invention. Women used them already at the end of the medieval period. Clutch bags were very popular during the 19th century but died out at the turn of the 20th century. However, as a result of the numerous shortages, including leather during World War II, small bags became fashionable again and the clutch bag was reborn.

There has never been such a great variety of clutches available on the market as at the present day. Basha has designed a collection of low-cost, elegant clutches that are also suitable for evening wear.

More than ever, handbags are made in all kinds of styles, shapes, sizes, materials and purposes. They have become along with jewelry, shoes and belts, an indispensable accessory that flaunts your personality.

And if you are wondering what is the best way to take care of your handbags, you should first stay away from all those sprays, which claim to protect them. Different leathers have different reactions, and the result might not be what you had originally intended for. Wiping your leather bags with a clean cloth is a good way to care for your bags. One should also not forget that leather has memories. You should not store your bags on top of each other because that will alter their shape into an irreversible form.

Basha’s bags are available in Egypt, Dubai and Beirut, but she acknowledges that most of her sales are done on the Internet. “Many women buy online; it’s a matter of convenience!”

Emirati women to take up Antarctica challenge

Abu Dhabi: Five Emirati women going on an expedition to Antarctica next month want to use their trip to change misconceptions and stereotypes about women in the region.

"We would like to show the world that UAE women can do whatever their counterparts in the rest of the world are able to do," Khadijah Al Muttawa, an anti-money laundering officer with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi (NBAD), told Gulf News yesterday.
"We would like to break the misconception or stereotype about Arab and Muslim women — that they are not free to work towards achieving their personal ambitions or goals," she said.
Khadijah and four colleagues — Alia Al Khafajy, Anna Ayoub, Oshba Mubarak and Yasmin Al Juwadri — will join the expedition titled 2041 International Antarctica Expedition from February 27 to March 12 this year.

The five women are being sponsored by their employer, NBAD, for the expedition, which will be led by polar explorer and environmentalist Robert Swan.

The 2041 International Antarctica Expedition aims to highlight the effects of global warming and ensure the continued protection of Antarctica from mining and exploitation beyond 2041, when current international agreements over the continent end.
Ehab Anis Hassan, NBAD's group chief human resources officer, said the bank is pleased to participate in the expedition with its five-member team.

NBAD's objective is to empower and encourage Emirati women who are eager to participate in global civic activities as the nation's ambassadors, he said, adding that the five explorers were selected through a competitive application process.

Throughout the expedition, participants will see and learn about Antarctic wildlife, live a sustainable lifestyle and learn about the importance of preserving natural resources and the role of renewable energy in balancing the ecosystem. In addition, the expedition is designed to develop participants' inter-personal and leadership skills.
The five UAE women will first travel to Ushuaia in Terra Del Fuego, southern Argentina, along with 65 fellow explorers, where they will be trained for their expedition. Preparations will include activities such as trekking and hiking.
"It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," said Alia, an associate banker. Anna, a branch manager, said the expedition would help her "break away from material life, hear my hear beat [and] reconnect with nature".
The women have all been found fit for the trip after medical tests and have received training in presentation skills, media, sustainability and team building.

Carolina Herrera: The Middle East is an inspiration

From my observations, Saudi women are a lot like Latin Americans; they love makeup and colors,” said the Venezuelan fashion designer, Carolina Herrera, after her visit to Jeddah to support breast cancer awareness with Zahra Breast Cancer Association.
Herrera and her daughter Carolina Adriana held a press conference in Jeddah last October to announce that a charity dinner event would be held at the Park Hyatt Jeddah under the patronage of Princess Haifa Bint Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz, chairman of Zahra Breast Cancer Association. Guests were invited to contribute to the cause and entered into a draw to win an item from the Carolina Herrera New York boutique.
“We are extremely pleased to be widening our appeal to raise money for breast cancer awareness. We are now raising funds across Latin America, the US, Spain and the Middle East. Our efforts will hopefully enable us to support breast cancer patients and their families around the world,” she said at the press conference.
Carolina Herrera's eponymous fashion label has been in demand ever since her first line was released in 1981. She has designed everything from casual to evening, formal dresses and bridal gowns and has found success in every approach thanks to her elegance, style and simplicity that knows no boundaries.
During her visit, she met with a number of Saudi women at a gala dinner where she said abayas and kaftans have been around for a while and many international designers and brands were inspired by them.
“I believe Saudi women are very elegant. Their abayas are very beautiful and they have flawless skin, beautiful eyes and incredible hair. I saw Princess Haifa Al-Faisal and her sister Princess Ola and they were stunning and they looked very elegant and chic,” she said. “In every summer collection, you get to see beautiful, colorful kaftans that women wear at the beach, from Yves Saint Laurent and other designers, and I believe it’s an easy wear and elegant. This would definitely be an inspirational source especially after my visit to Jeddah and Dubai,” she added.

According to Herrera, fashion is a mystery that has to be fun, elegant and a part of your everyday life. Growing up, the designer wasn't dressing dolls or playing with fabrics. Instead, she used to ride her horse every day, take care of her dogs and play tennis — activities that had very little to do with fashion. However, at the age of 16, fashion became her passion.
“Fashion is made for the eyes and not for the intellect; fashion changes with time and you always have to be updated and educated with what’s in and what’s out. The only thing I know is that I love fashion,” said Herrera.
Herrera does not follow international trends out of fear that her designs will end up looking like uniforms. She likes to come up with her style and says it's important in fashion to be original, unique and different.
"I have my own view and my aim in fashion is that I want to see women look elegant, sophisticated and feminine,” she said.
Herrera’s biggest fear when designing is that she has to come up with a new concept for every collection. “The biggest question in the fashion world is ‘What’s new?’ and you always have the right answer that satisfies me and everyone around you,” she said. “I’m blessed with a team that has my eyes, so whenever I run out of ideas, they help me. It’s like a collaboration and we all help each other.”
When asked who she would choose to play her role in a movie, Hererra said she would choose French actress Catherine Deneuve. “I have always admired Catherine Deneuve and I think she is a fantastic actress. She is beautiful, elegant and sharp and this is why I see her playing me in a movie."
Hererra has dressed everyone from Renee Zellweger, Blake Lively to Christina Hendricks and Oprah Winfrey. But in her three-decade career, Herrera’s most devoted client was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who wore her designs in the last 12 years of her life.
“All my clients are women who look for elegant, simple yet chic clothing. I would so much love to dress the Qatari prince’s wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned. I admire her and I love the way she looks. I believe that she is very elegant and a fashion icon. She is very beautiful and sophisticated and this is what attracted me to her style,” she said.
There are six Carolina Herrera flagship boutiques in the world. They are in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Bal Harbor, Las Vegas and Caracas. Herrera also established a diffusion line under the name CH that is currently sold all over the world.

“I opened CH Carolina Herrera, my lifestyle line, to introduce people to my designs. I want them to know my name and my designs before I open another flagship. I’m studying the Middle East market to see their approach to my clothing stores in CH and once I’m sure that the people are familiar with the brand, I will open a Carolina Herrera for evening dresses and bridal boutique,” she said.

Herrera has been involved in many social responsibility and volunteering projects around the world, including God's Love We Deliver, a charity that provides around 4,000 meals a day to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. Starting next year, Herrera will develop a perfume for charity.

“Carolina, my daughter, is in charge of designing and creating a new perfume for 2012 and all the income from this specific perfume will be donated to support charity organizations. The perfume is going to be called Carolina Herrera l'eau which means water and it will be sold all over the world,” she said.

Carolina Herrera just opened her new store in Abu Dhabi and released a limited edition elegant golden handbag for Abu Dhabi shoppers to celebrate the opening. The handbag has the word “Abu Dhabi” printed on it and a small palm tree decorated with Swarovski crystals as a symbol of the UAE.

Women of Saudi Arabia announce: My Name Is…

2011 was a year when women’s issues in Saudi Arabia took a good shaking. In June, the world witnessed the long awaited and exceptional move by women to take to the steering wheel and demand their right to drive. In September, King Abdullah announced women’s right to run and vote in the Shura Council. “We refuse to marginalize the role of women in every aspect of Saudi society,” he announced in a speech. But still, there is much fodder in the frustration of women’s positions in Saudi Arabia for artists to work with.

Manal Al Dowayan is one of them. Globally recognized, she is a prolific multi-media artist. Originally from the Eastern Province, Al Dowayan’s art, ranging from photography to installation and sculpture, has often touched on the crucial topic of gender-specific social obstacles in her home country. Her latest project, “My Name Is,” touches on a quieter cultural norm: the idea that uttering a woman’s name out loud is offensive.
“If I were to walk into any boys’ school in Saudi Arabia today and ask one of the students: ‘What is your name?’ He would answer the question with confidence. Should I ask: ‘What is your father’s name?’ He would again easily answer. However, should I ask: ‘What is your mother’s name?’ He would hesitate and become nervous and will decide not to give me an answer in an attempt to hide his mother’s name from his schoolmates.’”

This is the anecdote that is the basis of Al Dowayan’s project. Because of the communal contagion of this unspoken culture, Al Dowayan thought it important to base her new piece on a participatory practice. In that, the process of the work became just as valuable as the end result. Having run three workshops during December, in Alkhobar, Riyadh and Jeddah, Al Dowayan met with over 300 women who wrote their names on the large sized beads that ultimately make up the piece. The women included career women, award winning scientists, artists, mothers and grandmothers.

“The baby girls had their names written by their fathers,” Al Dowayan told Arab News. “There was a sense of euphoria and joy among the participating women to be able to have a voice on this subject and to have a gathering of this many women who are in total agreement. It was an experience many women in Saudi Arabia, including myself, have never had.”

In this sense of unity, the women created a statement: “Our names will be preserved and we will not allow the Saudi woman’s name to be erased, replaced, nor become a source of shame.”
The idea itself came about during her pilgrimage to Hajj where she discussed, with other women in the camp, topics relevant to gender issues in the Kingdom. “These discussions inspired me to work on the subject of women’s names becoming a social taboo.”

Having sprouted in a spiritual setting, Al Dowayan didn’t look past deeply traditional and religious elements as being the basis of this culture. But on the contrary, what Al Dowayan found was empowerment to a woman’s name. As noted in her artist statement: “A wonderful hadith illustrates this concept; Amr ibn Al A’as said: The Prophet (PBUH) was asked (“Oh Prophet of God, who is the most beloved to you?” He said: “Aisha”). The prophet pronounced his wife’s name with no shame. Historically, the “mothers of Islam” names were always known and quoted and spoken about. There are lessons to be learned from this hadith. Following in the Prophets example, Saudi Arabia’s founding father, King Abdul Aziz, would take great pride in his sister’s name, Princess Noura. Especially when caught in tense situations he would shout: “And I am the brother of Noura!” and he was a true tribal man.”

In bringing these 300 names to the public, Al Dowayan has presented a multi-layered project that brings women’s roles in society together. She has inadvertently surfaced the strong sense of community and work ethic of women in Saudi Arabia. And they range, from the city women who volunteered for the workshops, took part in discussions and put their names on the beads to the Bedouin women who Al Dowayan involved in the project to make the ‘Sadu’ that will act as the rope stringing the beads together. “I make a call for support and women donate their time and energy to help me. Its no wonder the women of Saudi Arabia are my source of inspiration,” she says.

In the past, Al Dowayan’s projects allowed her to express other concerns relating to her own role as a woman in Saudi Arabia. In 2009, she created a portrait series specifically addressing subjects like employment, driving and voting. The aim was to “highlight that Saudi women are not secondary citizens and can actively participate in building their society and make decisions,” she stresses. Last year, Al Dowayan experimented with her first participatory lead project entitled “Suspended Together,” which reflected on the issue of travel and movement for Saudi women. It was displayed at the 2011 Venice Biennale as part of the pan-Arab exhibition, “Future of a Promise.”

“My Name Is” will be displayed at Edge of Arabia’s first, grand, home-based exhibition. Entitled “We Need to Talk,” the exhibition will open at Jeddah’s Al Furusia Marina on Jan. 19. Al Dowayan’s project will then travel independently to various cities.

Carolina Herrera: The Middle East is an inspiration

From my observations, Saudi women are a lot like Latin Americans; they love makeup and colors,” said the Venezuelan fashion designer, Carolina Herrera, after her visit to Jeddah to support breast cancer awareness with Zahra Breast Cancer Association.

Herrera and her daughter Carolina Adriana held a press conference in Jeddah last October to announce that a charity dinner event would be held at the Park Hyatt Jeddah under the patronage of Princess Haifa Bint Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz, chairman of Zahra Breast Cancer Association. Guests were invited to contribute to the cause and entered into a draw to win an item from the Carolina Herrera New York boutique.

“We are extremely pleased to be widening our appeal to raise money for breast cancer awareness. We are now raising funds across Latin America, the US, Spain and the Middle East. Our efforts will hopefully enable us to support breast cancer patients and their families around the world,” she said at the press conference.
Carolina Herrera's eponymous fashion label has been in demand ever since her first line was released in 1981. She has designed everything from casual to evening, formal dresses and bridal gowns and has found success in every approach thanks to her elegance, style and simplicity that knows no boundaries.

During her visit, she met with a number of Saudi women at a gala dinner where she said abayas and kaftans have been around for a while and many international designers and brands were inspired by them.
“I believe Saudi women are very elegant. Their abayas are very beautiful and they have flawless skin, beautiful eyes and incredible hair. I saw Princess Haifa Al-Faisal and her sister Princess Ola and they were stunning and they looked very elegant and chic,” she said. “In every summer collection, you get to see beautiful, colorful kaftans that women wear at the beach, from Yves Saint Laurent and other designers, and I believe it’s an easy wear and elegant. This would definitely be an inspirational source especially after my visit to Jeddah and Dubai,” she added.

According to Herrera, fashion is a mystery that has to be fun, elegant and a part of your everyday life. Growing up, the designer wasn't dressing dolls or playing with fabrics. Instead, she used to ride her horse every day, take care of her dogs and play tennis — activities that had very little to do with fashion. However, at the age of 16, fashion became her passion.

“Fashion is made for the eyes and not for the intellect; fashion changes with time and you always have to be updated and educated with what’s in and what’s out. The only thing I know is that I love fashion,” said Herrera.

Herrera does not follow international trends out of fear that her designs will end up looking like uniforms. She likes to come up with her style and says it's important in fashion to be original, unique and different.
"I have my own view and my aim in fashion is that I want to see women look elegant, sophisticated and feminine,” she said.

Herrera’s biggest fear when designing is that she has to come up with a new concept for every collection. “The biggest question in the fashion world is ‘What’s new?’ and you always have the right answer that satisfies me and everyone around you,” she said. “I’m blessed with a team that has my eyes, so whenever I run out of ideas, they help me. It’s like a collaboration and we all help each other.”

When asked who she would choose to play her role in a movie, Hererra said she would choose French actress Catherine Deneuve. “I have always admired Catherine Deneuve and I think she is a fantastic actress. She is beautiful, elegant and sharp and this is why I see her playing me in a movie."

Hererra has dressed everyone from Renee Zellweger, Blake Lively to Christina Hendricks and Oprah Winfrey. But in her three-decade career, Herrera’s most devoted client was Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis who wore her designs in the last 12 years of her life.

“All my clients are women who look for elegant, simple yet chic clothing. I would so much love to dress the Qatari prince’s wife, Sheikha Mozah bint Nasser Al-Missned. I admire her and I love the way she looks. I believe that she is very elegant and a fashion icon. She is very beautiful and sophisticated and this is what attracted me to her style,” she said.

There are six Carolina Herrera flagship boutiques in the world. They are in New York, Dallas, Los Angeles, Bal Harbor, Las Vegas and Caracas. Herrera also established a diffusion line under the name CH that is currently sold all over the world.

“I opened CH Carolina Herrera, my lifestyle line, to introduce people to my designs. I want them to know my name and my designs before I open another flagship. I’m studying the Middle East market to see their approach to my clothing stores in CH and once I’m sure that the people are familiar with the brand, I will open a Carolina Herrera for evening dresses and bridal boutique,” she said.

Herrera has been involved in many social responsibility and volunteering projects around the world, including God's Love We Deliver, a charity that provides around 4,000 meals a day to people who are too sick to shop or cook for themselves. Starting next year, Herrera will develop a perfume for charity.

“Carolina, my daughter, is in charge of designing and creating a new perfume for 2012 and all the income from this specific perfume will be donated to support charity organizations. The perfume is going to be called Carolina Herrera l'eau which means water and it will be sold all over the world,” she said.

Carolina Herrera just opened her new store in Abu Dhabi and released a limited edition elegant golden handbag for Abu Dhabi shoppers to celebrate the opening. The handbag has the word “Abu Dhabi” printed on it and a small palm tree decorated with Swarovski crystals as a symbol of the UAE.