Eyad Mashat: The King of Saudi Retail

Eyad Mashat founded Fad International in 1999. In such a short time his retail stores Femi9 and Vivid Flair have dominated the market in Saudi Arabia and continue to expand in Syria, Egypt, Switzerland and Bahrain. His brand consultant, Said Baaghil, describes him as the “King of Saudi Retail,” where he’s planning on expanding his brand throughout MENA, Europe and the United States. Not only is his company expanding, but he’s very conscience about the social responsibility his company has, sponsoring this year’s Women’s Appreciation Month in Saudi Arabia which was a smashing success. We got a chance to talk to Eyad.

Elan: Can you tell us a little bit about your background both professionally and academically?

Eyad Mashat: Academically, I got my M.I.S degree at the European University of Geneva. Professionally, I inherited the fashion business from my family and decided to create a company that will have an international growth potential. Currently, I’m heading down the road as CEO of the company.

Elan: What made you enter into the Saudi market, particularly with a focus in fashion?

EM: The Saudi market is currently influenced by foreign brands. In this business, nothing is more important than creating our own brand name which replicates the national and regional pride of Saudi Arabia. I’ve always loved the fashion industry and, here in the Middle East, it is a beloved industry among consumers as well. It is a stable, constant and constantly growing industry and a great one to be involved in.

Elan: Fad International is all about raising the standards of fashion in Saudi Arabia. What are the steps you’ve taken to do that?

EM: The most important step taken on our part was to focus on one particular brand and specialize in it. Other steps we took were to understand the trends, enhance them with our personal signature and creating a personal experience for the audience with the brand.

Elan: Femi9 and Vivid Flair are your two brands. What do they bring to the global fashion market that no one else does?

EM: Both these brands bring elegance and simplicity to the table. While each brand has its own personality and role to play, we also consider consumer needs and interests which build a platform for us to work and build on.

Elan: In such a short time, you’ve become a retail king in Saudi Arabia with retail stores all across the country. Did you expect this kind of success?

EM: First of all, I’m thankful to Allah. Secondly, we were able to achieve this because we had the right team for the job. We still consider this a short term achievement for us, but in the next 5 years, we hope to target and focus on regions outside the Middle East as well.

Elan: Fad International focuses a lot on women and promoting women in the workforce. Why is that an important cause to the company?

EM: Women have played a major role throughout history in supporting communities and nations at large. This aspect plays a very important role in our company namely focusing on the development of women within our society both through education and service to the community.

Elan: What has been your greatest challenge operating in this field?

EM: Challenges exist everywhere. With the right strategies and planning, however, you can overcome them all. On the other hand, if you’re not on top of market trends, developments and changes, then you will be faced with constant, recurring challenges. The challenge is everywhere but again with strategies and planning you can

Elan: What advice would you give to young professionals wanting to enter into fashion?

EM: I came into the industry and achieved a lot. Why not you? You could get in and do it even better.