lina alhussan

The Asir scarf honors Saudi women and their tradition of colorful wall decorations
Lina Alhussan takes great pride in her heritage and the bright future of Saudi Arabia. So, when the time came for her to work on her final project for a bachelor’s in Fashion and Textile Design at the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, the aspiring designer knew she had to pay homage to the Kingdom. This is how Wahy was born – a local brand that represents the rich heritage and culture of Saudi Arabia through luxurious, hand-illustrated scarves.
“I noticed a gap in the market for unique and meaningful gifts that represent Saudi Arabia,” she says, adding that she wanted to create pieces that carry the story of her country within their folds, an effort to counter negative stereotypes that have dominated popular discourse. Inspiration comes her way from all corners of the country, from natural landscapes to historical sites. Most notably, she is inspired by Islamic design. “It is a distinctive and influential art form that has evolved over centuries. It features geometric shapes, floral motifs, calligraphy, and intricate patterns that are often repeated in symmetrical arrangements.”
The Al Diriyah scarf
This enchantment with Saudi Arabia is apparent from the designer’s very first collection. Four scarves are inspired by various regions within the Kingdom – Asir honors the generations of Saudi women who decorated the walls of their villages and homes. The historic Salwa Palace features on Al Diriyah. Drawings of a flower from the Nabataean tombs at Hegra find themselves on Alula, while the coral architecture of the ancient town of Balad inspires Jeddah. Each pattern was sketched on paper before being transformed into digital drawings printed on silk – she works with a local supplier who imports high quality fabric for her.
There is also a more practical side to this venture. With the luxury market in Saudi Arabia burgeoning at an unprecedented rate and the global scarf market expected to grow by 4.5% during 2022- 2030, Alhussan knew this was the right time to launch Wahy. She notes that her pieces “are trendy, light, and deliver a message while completing your outfit in a fashionable way.” Alhussan is finding her customers online, but hopes to soon display her products in physical spaces such as pop-up stores.
The historic Salwa Palace features on the Al Diriyah scarf
The designer’s nation is not the only thing that has helped her along on this journey; family is a factor too. A prominent childhood memory is coming home from school to watch fashion shows and interior design programs with her mother. “She would ask for my opinion as if I was an expert.” The Saudi entrepreneur firmly believes that her talents are a gift from her mother, who not only gave her confidence but is also a designer in her own right. Alhussan also credits the rest of her family, who function as her team members on Wahy; her sister Shahad handles all the finance and accounting.
This story of cultural pride, passion, and familial love is only just beginning. “Wahy is currently focusing on the scarf line and making more stories, but who knows what the future can hold? For sure, it will reach everyone worldwide, inshallah.”
Originally published in the June 2023 issue of Vogue Arabia
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