Meet KML: The Saudi Fashion Brand Dismantling Norms With Silent Power

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_{Minimalism in fashion often roars. Think icy white studios, severe silhouettes, and a studied sense of cool. So when I joined a Zoom call with the Saudi sibling founders of KML, fresh from their semi-finalist showing at the prestigious LVMH Prize, I expected more of the same. Instead, I was met with something far more compelling. A tidy childhood bedroom, perfectly peach-toned and immaculately arranged, with white linens that matched their optic outfits. It felt honest, grounded, and entirely unfiltered.}

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_{Ahmad and Razan Hassan, the Medina-born duo behind KML (pronounced kamal, Arabic for complete), are building a brand that whispers rather than shouts. Their design philosophy centers around a deeply cultural and philosophical idea. Clothing is not just about covering the body, but about completing it. “There’s this duality,” Ahmad says, “of being perfect as you are, and also becoming more complete when something is added.”}

_{That’s far from just a poetic concept. It’s the core of a brand that merges identity, heritage, and innovation with quiet power.}

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Where Culture Blends, Style Emerges

_{Growing up in Medina, a city where traditions collide and blend, the Hassans were shaped by a cultural melting pot. Japanese kimono sleeves meet Arabian thobe construction in KML's pieces. Asymmetrical tunics open at the back in clean, intentional cuts. These silhouettes flow freely and ignore outdated definitions of gender or tradition.}

_{“We used to focus on how different we are,” Ahmad reflects. “But we realized we’re more alike than we thought.” That realization powers KML’s hybrid vision. It was on full display at Riyadh Fashion Week, where models like Nour Arida and stylist Law Roach wore their fluid pieces with effortless poise.}

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Menswear That Redefines the Norms

_{At a time when menswear often repeats the same story, KML writes a new chapter. This isn’t about oversized logos or predictable tailoring. It’s about clothes that explore what masculinity can mean when it’s stripped of performance.}

_{Imagine cropped jackets that hug the waist, skirts draped with generous folds, and obi-style leather belts that cinch in new proportions. The pieces are androgynous but purposeful, brought to life in a palette of black, white, and beige. It’s menswear with soul and nuance.}

_{Ahmad breaks it down with clarity: “Clothes — libās in Arabic — are inherently without gender.” Their vision doesn’t aim to provoke. It aims to free.}

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A Quiet Return to Roots

_{KML’s subtle strength lies in restoration, not rebellion. In regions like southern Saudi Arabia, men have worn floral crowns, silver jewelry, and eyeliner for centuries. These were never acts of rebellion. They were expressions of self, culture, and belonging.}

_{The Qahtani tribe, also known as the Flower Men, still wear flowers proudly as part of their daily dress. Ahmad asks, “These colors are there, these flowers are there. Why not wear them?” Their approach doesn’t shock for attention. It reconnects with authenticity.}

_{For older Saudis, KML’s work feels familiar. For the younger generation, it’s edgy and avant-garde. That generational tension reveals how much Western influence has reshaped fashion norms in the region. Still, for the Hassans, the goal is never provocation. “We’re not rebelling,” Ahmad says. “We’re rejecting the rebellion that tried to erase our own traditions.”}

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A New Chapter, A Wider Lens

_{Now, with the LVMH Prize behind them and their collection landing at Selfridges this summer, KML is stepping into a bigger spotlight. But their next move remains grounded in thoughtfulness. Razan hints at exploring color through a cultural lens. There’s also talk of expansion into accessories, jewelry, and bags that continue their vision of dressing the body with meaning.}

_{“The prize reminded us that relevance isn’t exclusive to one culture,” Ahmad reflects. “When something is created with intent and beauty, it speaks for itself.”}

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The Final Stitch

_{KML isn’t just a fashion label. It’s a story being retold. A conversation between past and present. A quiet but radical push for fashion that is inclusive, grounded, and alive with meaning.}

_{In a world filled with noise, the Hassans are proving that sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is speak softly and let the clothes say the rest.}

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