STARTING a Saudi lifestyle magazine from scratch, to show the rest of the world what clothes Saudis wear, the kind of home decor they prefer and their culinary preferences is no mean feat. Especially not when you are a recent college graduate with very little experience in publishing. However, that is exactly what 23-year-old Dar Al-Hekmah college graduate Kholoud Attar has done. After graduating from the college two years ago, she founded ‘Design' magazine last summer, and distribution for the publications has since expanded to include most of the Middle East as well as London and New York. “After a year of establishing ‘Design', we have now reached the figure of 30,000 copies being distributed in the Middle East,” Attar - who is also the magazine's creative director - proudly told Saudi Gazette, adding that the sixth installment of the magazine was published in both Arabic and English. Combining contemporary customs and lifestyle preferences with Saudi traditions has obviously proven to be popular with the readers of ‘Design'. The publication offers a diverse range of genres that will appeal to almost all sections of society, including personal profiles, culinary reviews, architecture, retail as well as art and music. Attar has previously trained and worked at some advertising agencies prior to this, including a stint at Lomar and trying her hand at designing logos. She claims that she has benefited enormously from every single work experience, as it taught her what kind of creative work the magazine would require. Attar feels that the field of designing as a whole has now become one of the most creative engines of producing ideas that affect society and the way we live our lives. “I found that this field is under-represented in Saudi society and local exhibitions would always be understaffed,” she said. “Saudi designers, writers, and photographers...none of them met in one place. That's why I started this magazine: to collect and make use of their talents.” With success, she has also been on the receiving end of criticism and outright hostility, as some people have failed to understand how she has been able to start and maintain this magazine considering her age and gender. “I have received many negative comments by people, asking me to abandon the idea of starting this magazine, but my desire to do so has overruled,” she remarked. “We can use ideas and designs to resolve social problems, but nobody has yet managed to write about it, so I still listen to people's comments, even those from my driver, to create a comprehensive picture of our lives.” After a couple of installments were published, Attar started receiving positive comments and feedback both internationally and locally from design-oriented web sites. She discovered that many people around the world didn't know that there is a significant level of art, culture and refinement in Saudi society. Her work has been appreciated in the Kingdom too. One of the most encouraging comments she has received has been from Prince Khaled Al-Faisal in a letter commending her achievement. “I rejected many opportunities to learn outside of the Kingdom, and decided to pursue my education and gain all the wisdom from my own country, where creativity addresses society for the purpose of improving life, rather than just for entertainment,” she states proudly. ‘Design' magazine's staff consists of 15 individuals that discuss ideas and handle the responsibility for different sections such as cooking, fashion, interior design and photography, all along one unified theme. “Starting the discussion with each other creates a spirit of productivity amongst the staff,” she remarked. “Up to eighty emails are exchanged daily to provide us with new ideas, suggestions and comments, all of which I encourage because that is the recipe for the success of a magazine.” Asked about what makes her unhappy, she said, “Unfortunately, the spirit of cooperation between companies here is weak. If they establish a good sense of healthy competition, they will both improve the quality of production and develop a sense of community spirit.” The magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Hala Al-Harthi credits the staff for all the success. “We are so lucky to have found a lovely and passionate staff who cover each other's shortcomings by exchanging their ideas and experiences,” she said. Ahmad Abbas, the manager of Jeddah F.A.M. and an ardent admirer of the magazine commented that the magazine's content was interesting with a heavier emphasis on structure and content, compared to other young magazines. “Despite being at a primitive stage with a limited number of staff, the magazine has been able to achieve a high level of success in a short time, especially because of the three most recent installments,” said Abbas. Attar claims that her parents have been instrumental to her success, as they have been liberal enough to allow her to work and have always advised her to be balanced and follow the path of moderation and to not let success get to her head. She advises all current students to work hard to pursue their dreams and to stray from the traditional path now and then. “Every person has to create opportunities to pursue their dreams, rather than waiting for a job to give them the chance to do what they want,” she advised. She plans to expand her limited staff if she can find more graphic design graduates, and says she will give them an opportunity to train and work with the magazine.
