Home has never been just one place. Born in the UK, I moved to Jeddah with my family early on and was raised there until I moved back to England for boarding school, ultimately moving back to the Middle East in 2006 and relocated to Dubai. In 2012, I received a BA Hons in Fashion Promotion, Fashion and Textile Design from Southampton University, England.
Growing up by the Red Sea in Jeddah, I developed a deep passion for the ocean, specifically watersports and marine life. Having seen first-hand the deterioration of the shorelines due to plastic pollution, I have become an advocate for plastic-free oceans, wardrobes and food chains. I have since been plastic water bottle free for 5+ years and push to maintain a plastic-free household as much as possible.
I have worked alongside Natalie Banks, a fellow ocean warrior and the founder of Azraq, a volunteer-run not-for-profit entity in the UAE, for years in an unofficial capacity, before joining the organization as a member of the Board of Directors in January 2020. Founded in September 2018, Azraq, which is registered with the Community Development Authority, has been on the front lines of ocean conservation in the United Arab Emirates with exceptional groundwork and education of the community, actively involved in beach and ocean clean-ups and mangrove tree planting days as a part of the organization’s fight for cleaner oceans. “I wanted to be part of an organisation with credible commitments that bring about real change.”
“Surround yourself with the right people”
I launched a capsule collection in November 2020 with the sustainable homegrown brand, BY M.A.R.Y. which ensured that post-lockdown, we were able to help drive awareness and much needed funds to Azraq using the sale of a limited-edition range of natural fibre, seasonless pieces.
In October 2021 I spoke at the U.A.E.’s very first TEDxAlquoz, a globally-minded local community of passionate individuals interested in sharing their perspectives about a variety of topics able to change our world and personal views: ‘Fast-fashion is set to produce 25% of total CO2 emissions by 2050… but here’s what you can do about it’.