The Way She Wears: Farah Afani, Content Creator & Consultant

For our latest guest on The Way She Wears, fashion has always been a creative outlet. From childhood dress-up sessions with her sister to working as a retail stylist while studying engineering, her love for getting dressed developed long before she considered a career in the creative industries. Moving to Dubai three years ago encouraged her to explore that passion more seriously.

Her wardrobe strikes a balance between playful and practical, with Ganni, COS, Uniqlo and Aritzia among her favourites. Think Salomons, oversized totes, trusty white T-shirts and ballet flats, alongside jewellery she hopes to one day pass down.

Her biggest style inspiration? Her mother, whose ability to put together an outfit with confidence and attention to detail left a lasting impression. For our latest edition of The Way She Wears, we discover her wardrobe essentials, favourite regional designers and the sentimental pieces she'll never part with.

The Way She Wears (TWSW) spotlights women whose style feels personal, intuitive and entirely their own. Not trends, not formulas, just a point of view.

Farah Afani, Palestinian, Content Creator & Consultant

When did you know you’d be working in fashion/creative industries?

Looking back, I think I was already finding my way into fashion before I consciously realised it. Growing up, my sister and I were constantly playing dress-up and doing makeovers, and during university I worked in retail as a stylist. At the time, it was just something I loved doing, but I was already learning how clothing can change the way someone feels and how much creativity goes into building a look.

Because I studied Engineering, I initially saw my creative and technical interests as two completely separate sides of me. Moving to Dubai three years ago changed that. I started meeting people with less conventional career paths and saw how possible it was to build something around what you genuinely enjoy. Since then, fashion has become much more than a personal interest, and I’m grateful for every opportunity that has allowed me to explore that side of myself further.

Who are you fashion icons?

I think your earliest fashion influences often come from the people closest to you, long before you start looking to celebrities or designers. For me, that person has always been my mom. Whenever I look through old photos of her, she’s always the person my eye goes to first. She had a very natural way of standing out, not only because of what she wore, but because of how she put everything together. The shoes, the jewellery, the bag and even the smallest details always felt considered.

What I love most is that her style never seemed dictated by what everyone else was wearing. She knew what worked for her and wore it with confidence. I think growing up around that shaped my understanding of personal style long before I was paying attention to fashion more consciously.

What are 3 brands you could wear forever?

Ganni, Uniqlo, Aritzia and COS. Between these four, almost every side of my wardrobe is covered from fun to more structured pieces

Four staples everyone should own?

A pair of Salomons, because they somehow work with way more outfits than you’d expect. 

A trusted white T-shirt. 

An oversized tote that can handle the office, a flight and an entire day out. 

And a pair of Sam Edelman ballet flats, which are genuinely so comfortable. 

What are the regional brands you love right now?

Dima Ayad, By Karen Wazen, Nafsika Skourti and Okhtein (to name a few). Their products are beautiful, but what also really stands out to me is that they’re all built by strong women from the region. Seeing what they’ve created and how far they’ve taken their brands is genuinely inspiring.

Your fashion most special possession? 

Maybe not the coolest answer but definitely my Prada Bonnie bag. It holds a lot of sentimental value to me, so it means far more than just being a beautiful bag. It’s so special and I’m sometimes almost too scared to wear it.

⁠A piece worth investing in? ‍

For me, it’s jewellery. A good watch, striking pair of earrings, bracelets or rings can be worn for years and still feel current, even as your style changes. And I love that over time, those pieces become personal to you and can eventually be passed down. 

Your current favourite song, book or tv show?

I’ve been re-entering my electronic and dance music phase because I find it’s mostly what I’ve been listening to recently. “ESCAPE” by Kx5, deadmau5 and Kaskade featuring Hayla, and “Please Babe” by Kaytranada have been on repeat. They’re very different tracks, but both have the kind of energy that immediately puts me in a better mood.

Discover more about Farah's universe, here