The Trendsetter AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NOHA SINDI

Saudi’s first personal shopper and fashion stylist, certified fashion stylist, London College of Fashion alum, TV and celebrity stylist, the working mum also runs styling workshops, designed to empower the next generation of female leaders for the workplace through their fashion choices. An image consultant too, she is certified from the London College of Fashion and is behind fashion consultancy service Syling Diva, which provides all these fashion-related needs.

She has also been spotted hosting or acting as emcee at some of the country’s exciting events, including fashion shows, exhibitions, boutique-related ones and brand launches. Speaking of brands, Sindi has collaborated with several local and international ones, including Tory Burch, Max Mara and Diesel.

Tell us more about how you started your journey?

My relationship with fashion and style started since I was young, I was always choosing clothes & styling outfits for friends & relatives. So I decided to turn my hobby into a career.

Although my bachelors degree was in English Literature , I decided to change my major into fashion & joined London College of Fashion where I studied & got certified as a fashion stylist & image consultant.

What first motivated you to continue in your field?

There is an increased & huge demand in Saudi Arabia & the Gulf area for fashion, style and appearance in general. For Saudi women, especially in the recent period, their role has become active in society and in several fields, and this certainly requires them to look appropriate and professional. Which increased the demand for specialized people in the fashion field to help them & guide them. When I first started six years ago as a fashion & wardrobe stylist with the TV, there were a lot of questions & criticisms about my work. But with the passage of time and the person’s need (whether a woman or a man) for a specialist to look and appear decently, whether at work or social events, it has become a trend that attracts every woman or man.

As a multi-faceted woman, how do you navigate the different parts of your live?

Life is full of challenges and as long as you stay focused on your vision and goals you will get there sometimes the road to your desired destination might change but if you steer towards it you will get there , off course its not easy and therefore having the right supportive people around you will help you get there faster.

As a Saudi pioneer, how did you move from idea to conception?

Its all about passion, if you are fired up from inside and you have the passion towards achieving your goals, it would become very rewarding and would give you that feel of motivation even if you achieve small things bit by bit. So starting from my ideas and being passionate gave me the ability to convert ideas into reality and if I can do it anyone can do it as well.

What was the greatest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?

In general like any professional profession, there must be difficulties and challenges with a sense of enjoyment and satisfaction.

As a stylist, there are challenges in terms of creating a market for my services, providing sponsors , styling different personalities & managing big projects such as TV styling.

But the most greatest challenge of all is maintaining a balance between my role as a stylist & my role as a mom which I was able to manage through time management & recruiting the right supportive resources.

You have worked with so many brands, what has been your career highlight to date?

Since the beginning of my fashion career I have been working with many brands & local designers. But in my field as a stylist, I have had the support from many brands like Mango, Tori Burch, Karl Lager field, Carolina Herrera , Maje, Nichii & many more.

How important it is to surround yourself with people who support and encourage you?

The people we choose to surround ourselves with will eventually shape the way we think, behave, and feel on a daily basis.

There are a lot of positive changes like learning new things, improving development skills, achieving goals & staying positive!

Therefore being surrounded by the right people who encourage is part of your success.

Tell us more about the fashion scene in Saudi and how it is evolving?

Saudi Arabia’s fashion scene is evolving and making an impression on the world.

Today we have so many saudi designers whom reflect the diversity and heritage of the country in fresh, modern designs.

The many fashion exhibitions and events in the country have not only helped put the Kingdom on the world fashion map but also created more job opportunities in the fashion field.

What is the best piece of advice you have been given and why?

I think the best advice was “Choose a job you love & you will never have to work a day in your life”.

Because people who enjoy their jobs are more likely to be optimistic, motivated, learn faster, make fewer mistakes, and better business decisions.

What would you like to venture into that you haven’t yet?

I would love to have my own fashion line RTW in the future especially that sometimes I cannot find what I want in the market. Also would love to try acting!!

What is coming up next for Noha Sindi?

I would love to launch an academy where I can help & guide upcoming designers in creating mood boards, planning, producing & launching their brands. Also guiding stylists in gaining new skills or knowledge that will lead to new ideas that help or support them in the fashion styling industry.