SACD is a design firm specializing in cultural and sovereign projects influenced by the Arts of the Islamic world. The firm stands out from its contemporaries for their deep understanding of the region, addressing the clients' needs with high regard to cultural values. Every project they design has a unique storyline, combining culture, Islamic Art, and history to create serene museum-like interiors.

Behind SACD's timeless and exquisite design is entrepreneur and designer Sonia Ashoor. Since, the early years of the firm's inception in 2001, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs referred to Sonia as “Saudi Arabia's cultural ambassador” when she rep-resented her country on every Embassy and Ambassador project outside of the Kingdom. Twenty years later, she remains steadfast in promoting the Arts of the Islamic World in her work as a means of connecting people and opening a much-needed cultural dialogue.

Sonia is a celebrated interior designer who designed many cultural and sovereign projects worldwide. Her commissions, whether for a UNESCO project, a ministry, or an embassy, all re-veal her innate love of beauty and reflect the radiance of Islamic Art and design. Everything she designs reflects a shared purpose and philosophy; this gives her work its signature serenity and timeless harmony.

The Women Entrepreneur Team had the opportunity to interview interior designer Sonia and learn about her cultural background and how she carved out her niche in the design world.

Give us a brief overview of Sonia Ashoor Cultural Design. What are some important features about your expertise as an interior designer that you want us to highlight through the article?

SACD is a design firm focused on cultural and sovereign projects inspired by the Arts of the Islamic World. What sets us apart is our deep understanding of this region's cultural heritage and our ability to re-interpret its stories into contemporary museum-like interiors. We tackle a range of design services including architecture, restoration, interior design, exhibition design, and art curation services.

Take us through your early educational journey and prior industry experience that you bring to the table. What motivated you to create an interior design and advisory firm that creates culturally attuned experiences?

I received a Bachelor's degree in Architecture and Planning from King Faisal University in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. I then completed my Masters of Arts degree in Interior Environments in Richmond, Virginia, in the United States. To follow, I worked in the United States and London for the next three years before moving to Jeddah in the year 2000.

I helped co-found the Interior Design Department at Dar Al Hekma and taught three courses. I moved to Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, to establish my design firm a year later. I established my firm in a gated community with a trading license. At that time, Saudi female designers were not licensed, nor were there any positions available for them in the public sphere.

I come from a multicultural background with roots spanning the Islamic world, from a paternal Hajj pilgrim ancestor from Samarkand to an Ottoman grandmother and a Persian mother. I grew up in a world of diverse cultures, family tales, treasured objects, legends, and Art. Twenty years later, I dare to write about this poetically. However, growing up, I was a misfit belonging nowhere. My attachment to Art and cultural tales was finding my way of belonging. The Islamic World artists, architects, and artisans were not necessarily all Muslim or all Arab, but they came together to create things of beauty. That is where I found my belonging and unknowingly carved my niche in the design scene with it. It was my honest insecurity that gave me a home. Being vulnerable to who you are, takes a lot of courage but sets you free and makes you fearless.

What are the on the various roles and responsibilities you currently shoulder at Sonia Ashoor Cultural Design. Tell us about the different influences that shape your approach to designing?

I am the creative director of my firm. Twenty years later, I still lead the design process all the way to completion. The projects we tackle are important and complex and not something I can pass on to other designers. We do work as a team, each offering their expertise, but I see that all facets of a project come together meticulously with harmony and perfection.

I am deeply inspired by Museum design, mainly because these were the places I could explore our lost history since childhood. They hold the magic of experiences and are my go-to with every new project. They are places of calm, order, and beauty in which nothing wrong can happen.

My approach to each project starts with building a cultural story; this could be a color, a poem, or an artifact. Interestingly enough, at the beginning of a project, clients claim they don't have a story to build on, and slowly a beautiful, inspiring story always emerges, making the project uniquely theirs.

What are some of the most significant milestones that you have achieved so far as an interior designer? What has been your guiding leadership philosophy throughout your professional journey?

My career has been an ongoing journey of wins and many losses to learn from. The most rewarding milestone has been gaining credibility as a female designer in a patriarchal society, at a time when Saudi women designers were forbidden to practice. I was able to gain my first project with The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs in just three years from the inception of my firm. By 2008, I had designed ten projects for The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and successfully facilitated the licensing of Saudi female designers and architects.

My leadership philosophy has always been to strive for excellence and be of value.

“2008, i completed ten projects for the Saudi ministry of foreign affairs and successfully facilitated the licensing of Saudi female designers and architects”

To be curious and maintain a sense of wonder. Curiosity is a means to newfound opportunities and ultimately achieve 'good luck'.

In your opinion, how has the role and participation of women evolved in the workforce over the last few years? According to you, what is the scope of growth for women leaders in GCC countries currently?

Women of this region always had a huge leadership role, even if it was not publicized. I believe there was strength in what was hidden, but I can proudly say that strength emerged in the last few years in Saudi Arabia particularly. We see many dynamic and will-powered women taking on significant leadership positions unavailable to them in the past. These include political and sovereign positions representing their countries internationally.

How do you keep yourself well aligned with the periodic evolutions occurring within your respective industry? What trends do you foresee developing in the interior design space going forward?

My work is focused on cultural projects, and I keep myself informed on all aspects of this field. As my market niche is Islamic Art, I always read, research and travel. It is a vast field, and I am always jumping from one era to another. On one project, I would be researching Ottoman Iznik tiles; on another, the changing colors of the Taj Mahal. It's like flying on a magic carpet to places of wonder. It feels like living a 'Thousand and One Night' story on good days. On other days, I am stressed, not knowing where and what to research.

I am not very interested in trends, and they don't ap-ply to my work, but I can see a substantial shift in the design industry towards shedding western trends and seeking cultural identity. Most of my clients are in their thirties and come to us for the niche identity we have created. They are genuinely interested in their cultural identity and Islamic history, wanting to incorporate this into their projects.

As a successful business leader, what would your advice be to young women and girls aspiring to become business leaders and entrepreneurs in the future?

As we live in a digital age, only success stories are shared and publicized, leaving out the many failures that come with it. Yes, entrepreneurship is about following your dreams, but it's also about 'taking risks,', accepting responsibility, and never giving up.  

My advice is that they need to work with an entrepreneur in the industry of their choice for at least three years. To get involved and volunteer to take on responsibilities as if they owned the company. That is the only way they can grasp all aspects of a business before going out on their own.

Sonia Ashoor, Founder & Principal

Sonia is a celebrated interior designer having created a series of stunning embassies and cultural projects worldwide.