'Find What You're Good At And Unleash It…' Ola Farahat Is The Harper's Bazaar Saudi Summer 2025 Issue Cover Star

Harpers Bazaar Arabia

a day ago

The style star on social media pitfalls, striving to live a simple life and her love for Saudi Arabia
'The Ola Farahat on Instagram is different from the real me – the one my friends and family know,' the 35-year-old tastemaker tells Harper's Bazaar Saudi. 'I wouldn't say I have two different personalities, but at the same time there's a difference.' When asked what advice she'd give others who see her 1.4 million-strong, impressively monetised following on Instagram and strive to emulate her, she urges, 'Start. Get that post up.' She adds, 'You have to stay true to yourself. And it can be challenging. Especially when working with huge brands and trying to do the best that you can. Make sure what you are offering is different and unique – and is you. A lot of times nowadays I feel like so many personalities have the same style across the board, especially when something is trending. But it adds value when you put your stamp on it. Find what you are good at and unleash it.'
'I started visiting Saudi shortly after I met my husband and got engaged,' she says. 'I feel a real sense of connection with the community and with his family and friends. I feel like I have a really great insight into Saudi culture thanks to them. My fondest memories? When I took Lily for the first time. It was really special. We went to the mall, and we were getting spotted, and so many people recognised and loved Lily. It was really cute, because they referred to Lily as 'their girl', because she's fully Saudi like her dad. My daughter knows her culture really well. We always talk to her about it. It's really important. Also, there's a very strong influence from her dad and his side of the family. She sees them a lot, and I think she's just picking up on everything that she needs to know from them.'
Sage advice from someone who has collaborated with the likes of Gucci, Swarovski and Estée Lauder, and is known for her consummate professionalism; a broken toe didn't deter her from getting on her flight to shoot this story in Jeddah. The fact that we photographed her in the Kingdom was also a huge draw, as Ola feels very much at home there, given her other half, Hashim Said Hashim – whom she first met in the summer of 2018 – is Saudi, as is her three-year-old daughter Lily.
It seems like Lily is getting used to being in the limelight, like her high-profile mother. A constant on front rows of catwalk presentations, and at the hottest fashion parties, Ola's status in the style scene has been cemented over the years. It's not something she takes for granted; 'Just the access that I get is super exciting,' she smiles excitedly. 'Sometimes it's surreal being at a show of a designer that I love – just seeing the collection first hand – most of the labels that I work with are actually my dream brands since I was a child. Being at shows is a major highlight. Or just even being gifted a new drop, like a bag. You see a bag drop, and then suddenly you get it in the mail! I feel like, wow, this can't be real.'
Like in any career, there are major highs that it feels validating to reach. 'A major milestone would have to be my Harper's Bazaar Junior [S/S2023] cover. That was huge. I couldn't believe I was shooting the cover – and with my daughter! Omhigosh! This cover is another milestone,' she gushes.
Not bad for someone who fell into this role, while working a desk job in strategy and finance. 'There were just four or five of us at the time. I guess it was easier then as there weren't that many people sharing as much,' she recalls, thinking back on how she got her start just by having a profile on an open setting.
Ola is being modest of course. What attracts fans is the fact that she puts her own spin on things. 'I always like to add that bit of oomph,' she says, smiling. 'My style is timeless, but I like to spice up a look. So if I am wearing an all-nude outfit, I will add a pink heel for a pop of colour. I like to spice it up.' It is no wonder she was handed the Arab Fashion Influencer of the Year gong at the recent Emigala Fashion & Beauty Awards.
And like all jobs – though she admits, 'It doesn't feel like one. When you really love something it doesn't feel like a job' – there are always challenges. 'Sometimes I do get exhausted. I think every creator feels pressure at one point or another. Sometimes I go off the grid and want my peace. But the algorithm doesn't help. It is clear that the more you share the more you grow. I am not immune to it but I have gotten better.'
She also touches on the fact that it is tricky to portray the perfect, luxury-filled life when there are so many conflicts in the world at large, and the Middle East in particular. 'Considering what our region is going through, it's challenging to talk about things like fashion, or material things when so many more important things are happening in the world.'
Many in her field expand their portfolio and diversify, moving away from concentrating purely on their feeds. That's something Ola is definitely considering too. 'In my industry I admire Negin Mirsalehi,' she name-checks the former Bazaar Arabia cover star who launched her own extremely successful hair-care line Gisou. 'I like how she founded her own brand, managed to scale it and make it her passion. It is such a success story. Now she is competing with huge international brands. That is something to admire. It makes me feel like I should focus on building my own brand. It takes a lot of dedication to get to where she is. I would definitely consider expanding into other roles. As time passes and as I get older, my interests evolve so I would love to get into new spheres, maybe health and wellness as I am really passionate about that. Time will tell!'
In the meantime, she's balancing her current schedule with motherhood. Having a daughter has made her even more acutely aware of the dangers faced by those in her industry. Would she want Lily to follow in her online footsteps? 'Yes and no. I think kids these days are on social media way too soon. I started pursuing it in my mid-twenties and I still found it difficult. It affected my mental health, especially in the beginning. I was still finding myself and who I was. I want her to live her life away from social media. To have friends and live in the now rather than in this digital world. But when she has built her character outside of the internet, and has a good head on her shoulders, then I would love for her to follow in my footsteps. There is so much external noise, and so much criticism; you have to have a lot of confidence to keep going and be true to who you are. Sometimes you can fall into the trap of wanting a platform but not being authentic to yourself, or copying another creator or just not being who you are. I want her to know who she is and to love herself.'
Starting a family is a deeply personal decision, which is why it was perhaps surprising that Ola was so candid about the difficulties she had conceiving – even talking about the miscarriage she suffered. 'I was very honest when it came to my IVF journey,' she says. 'I had reached a point where I was tired of sharing the most perfect parts of my life. I wanted to show people that this pregnancy didn't just happen. People often look at my life and think: like she just happens to get married, she just happens to get another designer handbag, she happens to be on another vacation. For the first time in my life I thought to myself, 'I don't just want to announce this and pretend that it is just another thing that has happened seamlessly in my life.' I wanted people to see that I struggled. I struggle every single day. I wanted them to relate to me. I am someone who specialises in luxury and fashion – honestly, it is not the most relatable thing to do – but in this instance I felt that a lot of women would relate. And they did. It was something I was so scared to share but it was crazy how positive it was. It was crazy how I suddenly joined so many other journeys as people shared their own paths to IVF, told me about their miscarriages and birth stories. Everyone was messaging me. I tried to be there for as many women as I could. I have absolutely no regrets about that.' The response also led to her knowing, that 'I would share my motherhood journey.'
Having a child fundamentally changed everything, and Ola laughs that it wasn't something she had braced for. 'Oh boy did it change my path! My brain rewired. I am a new person. People don't talk about this this enough – no one warns you – my friends changed, my interests changed, how I had fun changed… I went back [to work] to do all these trips and things I used to before having Lily and it just didn't feel good anymore. I wasn't prepared for that. It took me a while to adjust. I changed completely. The way that I spend my time now is so selective. I would rather spend all my time with Lily if I could choose.' Luckily, her husband 'has been supportive since day one. Honestly we are very choosy about what we share. We love to share bigger moments, birthdays and things like that. We don't share the little moments, our day-today details. But 100 per cent he has been very supportive.'
Given all the glamour that surrounds her, Ola, who grew up in Ontario, Canada is remarkably grounded. She doesn't flinch when asked what she hopes for for her family, saying instantly: 'A simple life. I think simplicity is so valuable. I want Lily to have that slow life. Real friends. I don't want her to feel that pressure that kids are feeling a lot these days when it comes to their appearance, to what they own… I wish her a slow, simple, nice life.' And with a mother like Ola guiding and protecting her, it seems like Lily has a very powerful role model to follow.
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