Pioneering The Business of Ethically-Made Luxury Fashion on the Arabian Peninsula with Abadia's Shahd AlShehail

Spirit of 608: Fashion, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability + Tech

Ethical and sustainable fashion has become a conversation with global reach and proportions with entrepreneurs around the world building businesses seeking to create positive social impact through carefully-made clothing. One such founder is this week’s guest, Shahd AlShehail, whose Abadia clothing brand delivers sweeping, feminine silhouettes inspired by the traditional artisan craftsmanship of the Saudi Arabian peninsula and made in partnership with female makers across Saudi and the UAE.

Listen to her story for her journey from the business world to social and environmental justice and how those two areas ultimately led her to fashion.

More below:

Meet Shahd:

Shahd AlShehail is an award-winning social entrepreneur focusing on areas of sustainability, women's economic development, and cultural preservation.

After completing her MBA at Johns Hopkins University in 2012, she went on to secure a fellowship with Acumen which exposed her to the power of entrepreneurship in addressing social and environmental issues. In 2013, Shahd co-founded Project JUST, a fashion-tech start-up focused on creating transparency and accountability in fashion supply chains. Continuing on with this theme, Shahd co-founded Abadia, an ethical luxury brand dedicated to preserving the craftsmanship of her region through timeless contemporary products. Abadia works with female artisans across Saudi and the UAE to celebrate their heritage and provide them with a sustainable source of income.

You can learn more about Shahd and her company at www.abadia.me.

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Linkage — Connect with Shahd and Abadia

Instagram: @abadiaofficial | @shahdalshehail

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahdalshehail/

Website: www.abadia.me

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Find more episodes featuring women at the forefront of FEST online at www.Spiritof608.com.