What drives a modern Muslim Woman to succeed in modern society? In this issue of Destination, we’ve gathered a handful of incredible ladies who show us that being extraordinary is a matter of deciding to go the extra mile: Extra Grit, Extra Passion, and Extra Hard Work. Arab women are pushing boundaries, and as a whole, can get us across the finish line of progress.

Photo By Abdullah Almosharaf

International fashion designer, Arwa Al-Banawi creates intricate designs for her collections. She gains inspiration from elements of her Saudi heritage, which shows in the way she merges the western and middle eastern cultures. Aside from her aiming to export Saudi culture, Arwa’s main drive was wanting to create clothing for strong, powerful women who always inspired her, “fashion is more than just about the clothes, it’s about the women who wear the clothes.”

Arwa learned that to capture the attention of the world she had to believe in her work and remain faithful to her message. “People are seeking work that is honest and very true to yourself. That will definitely show”. Her perseverance helped carry her through the challenges of starting her contemporary women’s brand. This is why Arwa preaches the importance of being Extra Disciplined, “to develop a certain skill you have to have the discipline for it. I always say this to entrepreneurs and designers when they want to start their own thing or ask about my work and what I do”.

Instagram: arwaalbanawi