Zahra Lyla — The Fashion Blogger And Agency Founder, Part Of The Middle East’s Fashion Ascent

Zahra Lyla is the social media starlet; you NEED to add to your follow list in 2021. When it comes to all things fashion and lifestyle across the Gulf, Zahra has been a mainstay for many years, after finding success with her first blog in 2009.

Zahra was born and raised in Dubai and was not your typical fashion girl growing up. She had two brothers who were extremely academic and this veered her towards Computer Science. Impressively, she is competent in the highly covered technique of coding, a skill which still helps her in her business and self-built, “The Other Agency”.

With the rise of digital media and the notion of consumers being constantly connected and plugged into the virtual lifestyle, businesses must invest in and maximise their online presence. Experts agree that social media content must be crafted and be bespoke towards their audience. The importance of Agencies has thus become more crucial than ever, as they act as the trusted partner for businesses; possessing the correct experience, tools and creativity that often cannot be sourced internally.

Zahra’s academic expertise in this area has been evidenced by her Post Graduate certificate in Fashion Communication & Design from Central Saint Martin’s. Furthermore, she also secured a Master’s degree in Media Production from London College of Fashion (LCF). It is the melange of her experiences in London and Middle Eastern heritage which makes her the go-to for international brands looking to scale their brands in the region.

It is true that fashion in the UAE is becoming more important year on year. In 2020, there was the hosting of the 7th Fashion Revolution week in Dubai with workshops and seminars hosted by the industry’s powerhouses. Furthermore, Arabian Business magazine affirms that the Fashion retail market in the UAE is worth around $12 Billion, with growth rates expected to be stable at 4–5% up until 2024. International brands are also capitalising and respecting on the Modestwear sector, evidenced by brands such as Gucci adapting their own line.

Thanks to her presence as one of the region’s most famous influencers- Zahra has been trusted by the likes of Cartier, Tiffany, Dior and Bottega Veneta, to represent them. She was also elected to be part of the launch team for Vogue Arabia in 2016 which she deems one of the highlights of her illustrious career. With the distribution of the magazine now reaching 22 countries — it is clear Zahra knows all corners of the fashion world, globally.

The Other Agency, her brainchild, was inaugurated in 2020 just before the global pandemic. In spite of some turbulence, the agency has successfully worked with a plethora of regional and international clients and aims to target the Events and Conferences sector in the upcoming years. A perfect co-ordination with the upcoming, Dubai Expo, which will demonstrate the bright future the region, has.

Zahra can assist, strategize and lead on all elements of the creative process and specialises in humanising brands online, content creation and set design. “I really want to create amazing lifestyle content for my clients (…) I don’t want the corporate style of just sell, sell, sell, we want individual’s to really see inside the culture and connect more.” Never has this been more important; and there’s no-one better than Zahra in the region to lead this movement.