some entrepreneurs would opt to land themselves at the top of the pole, Latifa had the insight and gusto to work from the ground up. “I went and did it all, from stocking and inventory, merchandising and being a sales lady in the store.”
determined to create their own life paths. Being part of the Sudairy family tree entails a certain legacy and privilege —but as Sheikha was quick to point out, their parents instilled in them the importance of hard work and creating their own individual successes: “We have a lot of things to be grateful for, Al Hamdullilah, but we were raised in a way wherein we knew the value of hard work. Our mom and dad would always ask the question, ‘What do you want to be?’ It’s not a matter of ‘if you would work’ but simply, ‘when you start to work.’” As a result, Latifa and Sheikha both found professional success, albeit in different forms. One rose to the challenge of entrepreneurship and became the leader of the family-run retail firm, EYAT. The other went on to serve the larger community through her work at one of the oldest and most trusted non-profit organizations in the Kingdom, Al Nahda Charity Organization. Though the career paths of these two sisters diverged, one went into the commercial world of retail, while the other pursued charity work, it’s important to remember and inspiring to know that each played a critical role in the other’s career choice.
Latifa Al Sudairy A Luxury Fashion Trail Blazer Latifa started working at a very young age. At 19, she took a job in the treasury finance department of Saudi British Bank, while simultaneously studying at the Institute of Public Administration. When her father, Dr. Salman Abdulrahman Al Sudairy established EYAT, Latifa got on board and helped build the company from the ground up. She is now serving as the Operations Manager and Chief Buyer for the retail firm. Since its inception, Latifa has taken a hands-on approach to learning the ins and outs of the family business. While
As Latifa fondly recalls, the story of Lati Boutique all started with a dress that came her way through her sister. Sheikha, a grad-student at the time, came back from New York with this gorgeous Anna Marie Couture dress. “It was the first time I had heard of the brand. It was beautiful and, to top it off, reasonably priced. The following winter break, she brought home more dresses from other designers. The numbers on the price tags made sense. You wouldn’t think twice about buying them.” And so the idea began to develop in Latifa’s mind. The idea which eventually became the luxury boutique we know today. A shop was established where you are treated like a princess, while buying stunning dresses that are reasonably priced.
DESTINATIONJEDDAH.COM 27