Discover how, the whirlwind Saudi marketeer that is Nojoud Alrumaihi, winds down in style.
Nojoud Alrumaihi wearing a Remain outfit with shoes from Sergio Rossi and a S’uvimol bag
ALL IN THE DETAILS
Saudi marketing specialist Nojoud AlRumaihi is one half of a burgeoning event management company that she founded with her husband, Abdullah Al Rasheed. “Upbeat KSA is named after my husband’s character. He is an exuberant person with more than 10 years of experience in the events industry. He was the driver behind it, and I came in as the marketeer and content creator. Together, we want to create events that are full of life and experiences,” she says. With a degree in business management and marketing from Riyadh’s Al Yamamah University and a master’s in international marketing from London’s King’s Business School, it’s easy to see how her education has influenced her latest venture. “Understanding people’s psychology, how they behave as consumers, and how everything has an effect on communication, made me want to dive deeper into the field,” she says.
SET THE TONE
Alrumaihi in a dress she created with Saudi designer Hadeel Al Hussain and a Bottega Veneta bag
“Abayas are a world that I absolutely love,” says AlRumaihi. Her collection includes everyday ones as well as formal, floor-sweeping robes. “I love wearing Nouf AlSudairi abayas. They’re so easy to style as they are minimal with excellent fabrics that go with everything,” she says of the Saudi brand’s signature linen pieces. Her closet also includes artful tie-dye abayas by Dye Down, tailored overlays by Alanoud AlSalem, and embroidered designs by Nihad Bakhrebah. She has a tonal approach to piecing together her looks. “I love to style abayas in a monochromatic way, so I focus on basic wear underneath and neutral colors,” she says. Her single-color habits go back to her first memory with fashion. “My family took us on a trip to Mecca for Umrah, and I remember being mad at my mom for not matching my hijab to my shoes. Horrible, I know, but I was a child who loved coordinating my clothes.”
OWN THE NIGHT
In a dress from 16Arlington, wearing her Bespoke wedding jewelry, as well as a Chaumet ring and Cartier bracelet
When it comes to eveningwear, AlRumaihi lights up a room with her repertoire of dresses drenched in beadwork and jumpsuits that make for an instant statement. “I have a Ralph Lauren dress that I love. I couldn’t resist not getting it when I saw it on the runway. It was a golden dream – the length, the straps, and the femininity in it is just astonishing,” she says. A black feather-trimmed 16Arlington dress shares closet space with a striking Alex Perry orange jumpsuit. “It’s so bold and chic. No one does shoulders like Alex Perry,” she adds. A closet filled with an ultimate supply of glamour, her fringed Hamda Al Fahim cocktail number and a powder blue Razan Alazzouni tulle gown mingle and shine in her wardrobe with Ashi Studio, Rami Kadi, and Maison Yeye pieces.
RHYTHM IN ROUTINE
Nojoud AlRumaihi
AlRumaihi’s personal style and signature makeup share a common thread: effortless and polished. “I’m drawn to brown, earthy tones and lots of mascara. Light lipstick on the lips, so the focus can be on the eyes,” she says. However, her winning formula for a radiant complexion starts skin deep. “I’ve been using Sisley for two years now, and I can’t get enough of it. I use the Black Rose collection, and I do mean all of it: the face oil, moisturizer, and eye cream.” She credits SkinCeuticals for clearing up her skin, and using her cold ice rollers that she keeps in her freezer every other night of the week remains an essential part of her beauty routine.
OFF THE GRID
Christian Dior shoes and bag
To unwind, AlRumaihi switches to airplane mode. Instead of scrolling through social media, she incorporates a digital detox in her day. “Tossing my phone aside for a while is the best mental escape for me,” she explains. To further relax, AlRumaihi slips into a Daily Sleeper dress or a silk MaxMara loungewear set and indulges in the calming and therapeutic properties of aromatherapy at home. “I have a ritual of unwinding at the end of the day with an air diffuser and essential oils such as lavender and lemongrass. Sometimes I’ll combine it with a massage, which does wonders to relieve stress,” she says.
WORK-LIFE BALANCE
Nojoud Alrumaihi
Between building a successful startup, being tapped by Christian Dior to front a campaign in her home country, and press trips with Van Cleef & Arpels and Hermès, AlRumaihi is a mother to her three-year old daughter, Lulua. “I don’t think the perfect balance exists, unfortunately. Something has to give,” she shares. “Sometimes I have so much work that keeps me from spending time with my daughter, and sometimes I put everything on hold just to talk to her, or take her out. That’s what I do to find balance.” AlRumaihi calls her daughter every two hours and has a rule not to work past 8pm so she can tuck Lulua in for bedtime. “In my line of work, there’s a lot of traveling involved and that’s when I feel miserable the most as a mother. I’m so thankful to have a family that are so loving and supportive, so I know she is in good hands, safe, and sound.”
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Originally published in the December 2020 Issue of Vogue Arabia
