Yousef Akbar’s path into the world of fashion was not straightforward. Born in Saudi Arabia, he went to university in Australia where he obtained a Masters in Logistics. Eventually though, he found his calling and swapped spreadsheets for sketch pads in 2017, and his contemporary eveningwear label has been winning over fans and critics ever since.
Who wears Yousef Akbar?
[Yousef Akbar] Any confident woman who wants to feel good about what she's wearing, and wants to wear something that reflects her strength and makes her feel beautiful.
How would you describe your upcoming collection?
Being a small brand, we don’t follow seasonal cycles, rather we focus on creativity and giving our clients and customers what they want. Every garment or collection is usually designed and inspired from a personal experience of mine and I try to tell a story. For example, my last collection was inspired by heartbreak, internal struggle and recovery. My next collection will reflect the nostalgia that I've been feeling lately for my own culture and, given that I now live in Australia, I developed the concept through the lens of how Western people tend to see Middle Eastern culture. I took reference from 19th century Impressionist and Orientalist Painters and combined those perspectives with my own emotional drape sketches and interpretations! I can’t wait to reveal it.
Middle Eastern parents tend to dream of their kids attaining what they call 'a real degree' in order to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer blah blah blah. That was certainly the case for me.
— Youssef Akbar
Speaking of Australia, how did you end up there?
So, Middle Eastern parents tend to dream of their kids attaining what they call 'a real degree' in order to become a doctor, lawyer, engineer blah blah blah! That was certainly the case for me. And even though I was your typical nightmare stubborn Saudi kid, who hated school and didn’t want to study, I still somehow managed to get good grades, and that eventually got me a scholarship from the Saudi government to study in Australia. But, as I had no interest in studying, my father picked my degree: Financial Management. I tried it out and failed almost all the early finance modules but passed a logistics one, so I asked about a logistics degree and I went on to graduate, with distinction, in Logistics Supply Chain Management! I even managed to get a Masters in it too, but after that I told my parents I was going to pursue what I love.
How did that end up being fashion out of Australia?
I never intended on doing fashion as a career, I just loved clothes, and I was always creative. Then during the last semester of my Masters, I thought to myself it would be great to enrol in fashion school purely to be able to make clothes for myself, and then I fell in love with it. But I must say, I was lucky enough to have received a lot of support from the head of Ultimo TAFE, where I studied fashion in Sydney, and from a few kind and generous people who helped me, and mentored me and encouraged me to start my own label. And finally, I ended up meeting my partner during my last year at fashion school. She is Australian, and last year she came on board and started working with me in my brand. I consider myself very fortunate and I'm grateful for all the support I have received so far.
You were selected to participate in Fashion Forward Dubai’s (FFWD) 2020 edition, which got cancelled, and then to take part in the 2020 Fashion Trust Arabia (FTA) awards, where you won. It has been a good year, hasn't it?
You know, I flew back to Australia from Saudi Arabia just before the COVID-19 lockdown and I spent the first half of lockdown preparing for the FTA awards, which luckily, we won!! FFWD was supposed to be held in April but it is always such a great honour to be recognised and it’s so humbling to be selected amongst so many talented designers!
Tell us about the current changes in your birth country. How do you feel about the transformation?
Over the last few years, Saudi Arabia has been experiencing the best kind of transformation under vision 2030 of King Salman and the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. It is the right time now, and an exciting time for my generation as well as the coming generations. It is great seeing our country promote openness and create opportunities in every field, including fashion. It is so important because culture is like a mirror for any society. I am excited to see more and more progress in the coming years.
