What happens when one of the most powerful women in Middle East fashion decides to slow down? As she embarks on her sabbatical year, Rania Masri El Khatib shares why she decided to stop.
Rania Masri El Khatib. Photographed by Amina Zaher
“Following a period of economic optimism and looking forward to the new era that the Dubai Expo 2020 would bring to the region, I was excited and hopeful for what 2020 would offer. I had witnessed the changes brought in by Vision 2030 in Saudi Arabia, a country I started my young life in. During this landmark year, I was leading the transformation mission for the Chalhoub Group, a company which I have been part of for the past 14 years. My role in that ecosystem, as the chief transformation officer of a trailblazing luxury retail player in the Middle East, was to get closer to the customer everywhere she is and to accompany our company and business into the fourth industrial revolution – the blurring of boundaries between the physical, digital, and biological worlds. It dawned on me, while researching and redesigning our customer experiences and their behaviors, how much we humans have changed. Our obsession with the online world and our devices, our hectic lives, and our need for other’s approval, have seen us grow distant and unapproachable. We started making less time for others, prioritizing our engagement with strangers online. We preferred voice notes and WhatsApp messages to engaging with another’s voice, and the word ‘busy’ punctuated every conversation. I embraced my new life and skipped through the days as if it were a marathon leading me to a mystical finishing line. And then, out of nowhere, apocalypse. The world as we knew it froze. I found myself completely still, in shock and lost. Locked down at home, with my family, I was free from the chaos of the outside hussle, and alone with my thoughts. There was nowhere to run to, no social events to dread, no anxiety over my unanswered texts, and no more draining long hours. The universe paused and we all paused with it.
Rania Masri El Khatib with her children, Ayah and Lulwa. Photo: Supplied
As I reflect on my pre-Covid years, I am thankful for the rich experience I had over the past two decades working with people from all walks of life, across every continent. I was able to do it while building my beautiful family and my home in the UAE, where my community of friends was colorful and inspirational. I attended magical events and learned from leaders, visionaries, and artists. I became the strongest version of myself, a role model to my girls, and a voice for women in the workplace.
What I hadn’t realized, though, was that somewhere along my journey, the magic started to fade, the hugs became far in- between, the calls turned into DMs and the ‘how are yous’ were always followed by ‘I’m so busy.’ My passionate smiles were forced and my genuine self was confused. In retrospect, both my personal and professional success was fueled by my passion for people and for the industry. The simple pleasures I made room for expanded my mind and my heart. Sitting at boardwalk cafés in Europe watching people go by inspired my fashion. Going to shows in London and New York drove my retail experience design. Spending hours talking to designers across the globe opened the horizons of my imagination, which, in turn, I brought to the floors of our stores for customers to experience.
Today, I took the decision to stop. To stop and reinject that passion for life into my foggy mind. More than ever, I rediscovered these simple pleasures during lockdown and forced curfews. I started looking forward to the outings, not taking them for granted. I started making plans to wear my latest purchase. For the first time in many years, I started driving my girls to school and indulging in these priceless conversations in the mornings. Once an avid reader, I started picking up books again, and loved turning their pages.
I made a commitment to give back, not only to my loved ones, but to the universe as a whole. I realized that I was blessed to have a voice, and an experience that other women can benefit from, not limited to the ones working directly with me. I have embraced social media and started making positive use of it. I became mindful of the influence I can have on others, and in return, the great impact they have on me.
This year during my sabbatical, I won’t look at climbing anymore, I will look at belonging. A community brings people together. It connects us and builds meaningful relationships; it shouldn’t drive us apart. I have realized that you can’t win alone.
I am not sure what this year holds for me, but I know that I listened to my inner voice and trusted what the universe showed me last year. I took the leap, had the courage to jump into the unknown, and I’m eager to discover what will come from it.”
As told to Caterina Minthe
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Originally published in the January 2021 issue of Vogue Arabia
