Najeeba Hayat

Hayat was born in 1990 or 1991 to a Shia Kuwaiti family of Iranian descent.{{Cite book |author=Rivka Azoulay|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gurvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA65|title=Kuwait and Al-Sabah: Tribal Politics and Power in an Oil State|pages=61–65|year=2020|isbn = 9781838605063}}{{cite thesis |url=https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/28011114/PHD_Thesis_Final_Version_submitted_to_RHUL_PDF.pdf |title=The Formation of the Shi ͑a Communities in Kuwait: Migration, Settlement and Contribution between 1880 and 1938 |author=Mohammad al-Habib |publisher=Royal Holloway |pages=331 |year=2016}}{{cite thesis |url=http://digitalarchive.gsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1040&context=history_theses |title=The Shia Migration from Southwestern Iran to Kuwait: Push-Pull Factors during the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries |publisher=Georgia State University |pages=17 |year=2010}}{{cite web |url=https://www.kuwait-history.net/vb/showthread.php?t=3574|title=اسرة جوهر حيات|work=kuwait-history.net|language=Arabic}} She graduated from Al-Bayan Bilingual School (BBS) in 2008 and then completed an undergraduate degree in government at the Wesleyan University in 2013.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbs.edu.kw/uploads/docgallery/gallery_253.pdf|title=BBS Alumni}}{{cite web |url=https://newsletter.blogs.wesleyan.edu/2017/04/04/hayat-13-discusses-high-end-shoe-line-liudmila-footwear/|title=Hayat '13 Discusses High-End Shoe Line, Liudmila Footwear}} In 2014, she moved to Italy to study technical footwear pattern making at the historical Ars Sutoria school.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/felicitycarter/2019/06/19/liudmila-brings-the-victoriana-vibe-to-footwear/?sh=7e06ef74553e|title=Liudmila Brings The Victoriana Vibe To Footwear|work=Forbes}}{{cite web |url=https://issuu.com/thetalkmagazine/docs/the_talk__108_november|title=Najeeba Hayat: Cover Girl|work=The Talk}}{{cite web |title=Editor's AW 2016 Picks From MENA Designers: Liudmila|url=https://khaleejesque.me/2016/10/02/editors-picks-from-middle-eastern-aw-collections-liudmila/|work=Khaleejesque Magazine}}{{cite web|title=interview NAJEEBA HAYAT|url=https://www.discountmags.ca/magazine/vogue-accessory-september-2016-digital/in-this-issue/179|author=Francesca Giorgetti|language=Italian}}

Hayat is the founder, designer, and CEO of Liudmila, a luxury footwear company based in Milan.{{cite news|url=https://wwd.com/feature/emerging-footwear-label-liudmila-unveils-collaboration-rihanna-stylist-avigail-collins-10944917/|title=Emerging Footwear Label Liudmila Unveils Collaboration with Rihanna's Stylist, Avigail Collins|work=Women's Wear Daily}}{{cite news|title=Designer to Watch: Najeeba Hayat of Liudmila|url=https://sourcingjournal.com/footwear/footwear-brands/designer-to-watch-najeeba-hayat-101274/|work=Women's Wear Daily}}{{cite news|title=Your New Instagram Stalk: Najeeba Hayat|url=https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/your-new-instagram-stalk-najeeba-hayat|work=Refinery29}} The Italian company was founded in November 2013 and was previously sold at international luxury retailers like Browns, Farfetch, and Moda Operandi.{{cite web |title=Liudmila shoes by Najeeba Hayat|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/liudmila-shoes-najeeba-hayat|work=Vogue|date=March 2016}}{{cite web |url=https://officialbespoke.co/liudmila/|title=Meet the Kuwaiti Creative Behind Liudmila, the Shoes Rihanna's Stylist Loves so Much|work=Official Bespoke}}{{cite web|url=https://www.atmag.co.il/%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%99%D7%94-%D7%9C%D7%99%D7%A1%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%A7%D7%99-%D7%A2%D7%95%D7%A9%D7%94-%D7%A9%D7%9E%D7%97-%D7%91%D7%90%D7%99%D7%A0%D7%A1%D7%98%D7%92%D7%A8%D7%9D/|title=נסטיה ליסנסקי עושה שמח באינסטגרם|work=atmag|date=19 July 2016|language=Hebrew}} Hayat's company was named after the Russian character Liudmila Rutilova from Fyodor Sologub's The Petty Demon.{{cite web |url=https://visionaireworld.com/blogs/imported/najeeba-hayat-s-liudmila|title=NAJEEBA HAYAT'S LIUDMILA|work=Visionaire World}}{{cite web |url=https://www.vogue.co.uk/gallery/liudmila-shoes-interview-with-founder-najeeba-hayat|title=Liudmila shoes: Interview with founder Najeeba Hayat|work=Vogue}}{{cite web |title=3 علامات تجاريّة و4 نساء متمرّدات يكسرن قواعد الموضة|url=https://marieclairearabia.com/%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B6%D8%A9/%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A-%D9%83%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%B1-%D8%AA%D8%AE%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%B1/3-%D8%B9%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AA%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%91%D8%A9-%D9%884-%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%A1-%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%91%D8%AF%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%8A%D9%83%D8%B3%D8%B1%D9%86|work=Marie Claire Arabia|language=Arabic}}{{cite web |url=https://footwearnews.com/fashion/designers/emerging-shoe-footwear-designers-36117/|title=20 Emerging Shoe Designers To Know}} She was mainly inspired by a Russian literature class at Wesleyan University.{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qARQEAAAQBAJ&dq=najeeba%20hayat&pg=PT10|title=To the Stars and Other Stories|year=2023|publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=9780231553407 }} Her designs have been influenced by Victorian fashion, fairytale characters, and Iranian painter Mahmoud Farshchian.{{cite web |url=https://i-d.co/article/meet-the-shoe-designer-turning-fairytales-into-footwear/|title=meet the shoe designer turning fairytales into footwear|work=i-D}}{{cite web |url=https://www.tag-walk.com/en/talk/liudmila|title=Liudmila|work=Tagwalk}}

In 2017, she released a collaboration line with Jewish American celebrity stylist Avigail Collins.{{cite web |url=https://www.whowhatwear.co.uk/liudmila-avigail-shoes|title=Liudmila x Avigail's First Shoe Collection Just Launched|work=whowhatwear}} In 2018, she was featured in Chopard's Happy Hearts campaign alongside several other Middle Eastern women.{{cite web |url=https://www.azyaamode.com/en/chopards-happy-hearts-honor-women-with-a-big-heart|title=Chopard's Happy Hearts Honor Women with a Big Heart|work=Ayzaa Mode}} In 2019, she was named among the finalists of Fashion Trust Arabia.{{cite web |title=Fashion Trust Arabia announces finalists|url=http://jdeedmagazine.com/fashion-trust-arabia-announces-finalists/}}{{cite web |title=Liudmila|url=https://fashiontrustarabia.com/people-profiles/liudmila}} In 2021, she was ranked number 36 in Forbes's Women Behind Middle Eastern Brands 2021 list.{{cite web |url=https://www.forbesmiddleeast.com/lists/40-women-behind-middle-eastern-brands-2021/najeeba-hayat/|title=Najeeba Hayat|work=Forbes}}

Outside of fashion design, Hayat has frequently utilized her social media platforms for social justice activism, criticizing policymakers and human rights abuses.{{Cite web |date=2020-05-07 |title=Foreigners on the frontlines of pandemic in Arab Gulf states |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/foreigners-on-the-frontlines-of-pandemic-in-arab-gulf-states |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=PBS NewsHour |language=en-us}} Hayat was one of the co-founders of Kuwait's "MeToo movement".{{Cite book |author=Cynthia Enloe|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cmG9EAAAQBAJ&dq=najeeba+hayat&pg=PT128|title=Twelve Feminist Lessons of War|year=2023|isbn=9781804440292}} She made her voice known in 2021 during women's rights protests after the murder of Farah Akbar.{{Cite web|date=February 21, 2022 |title=As Kuwait cracks down, a battle erupts over women's rights |url=https://www.npr.org/2022/02/21/1082070405/as-kuwait-cracks-down-a-battle-erupts-over-womens-rights |website=NPR}} Utilizing Clubhouse and Instagram, she partnered with Ascia Al Faraj to create an online campaign, #LanAsket, (Arabic for "I will not be silent") to raise awareness about harassment, domestic abuse, and honor killings in Kuwait. The campaign encouraged Kuwaitis to post a video or photo wearing a black abaya (all-black attire) to symbolize mourning.{{Cite web |last1=July 14 |last2=violence |first2=2021 {{!}} Shaistha Khan {{!}} Gender-based |last3=International |last4=women |first4=Violence against |title="I Will Not Be Silenced": Women in Kuwait Fight Back Against Violence - Women's Media Center |url=https://womensmediacenter.com/news-features/i-will-not-be-silenced-women-in-kuwait-fight-back-against-violence |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=womensmediacenter.com |language=en}} At the onset of the 2023 Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, Hayat became a vocal critic of Israel Defense Forces' tactics against Palestinian civilians in Gaza, prompting her Instagram account @liudmilahq to be suspended for violating community guidelines.

In October 2023 during the Gaza war, Israeli media reported that Hayat was directly involved in the removal of Israeli fashion designer Dorit Bar Or from Mytheresa, Net-a-Porter, and Matches Fashion following Bar Or's pro-IDF Instagram story that contained the adhan (Islamic call to prayer) in the background.{{cite web|url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/fashion/2023-10-30/ty-article/0000018b-8233-d72d-adab-9eb7308a0000|title=עיצוביה של דורית בר אור הוסרו מאתרי קניות לאחר שמשפיעניות קראו להחרימה|work=Haaretz|language=Hebrew}}{{cite web|url=https://www.ynet.co.il/fashion/article/rykw2ppmp|title=חרם על דודו בר אור באתרי קניות בינלאומיים: "עומדים נגד אלימות וטרור בכל צורה"|work=Ynet|language=Hebrew}}{{cite web|url=https://fashionforward.mako.co.il/news/270887/|title="מקדמת תעמולה גזענית": המתקפה האינסטגרמית על דודו בר אור|work=Fashion Forward|language=Hebrew}}{{cite web|url=https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/online-fashion-platforms-drop-israeli-fashion-designer/|title=Luxury fashion platforms MyTheresa and Net-a-Porter boycott Israeli designer|work=Jewish News}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bollyinside.com/news/fashion-lifestyle/major-luxury-fashion-platforms-mytheresa-and-net-a-porter-boycott-israeli-designer-over-controversial-social-media-post/|title=Major Luxury Fashion Platforms MyTheresa and Net-a-Porter Boycott Israeli Designer Over Controversial Social Media Post|work=bollyinside}}{{Cite web |last=Conti |first=Samantha |date=2023-10-31 |title=Net-a-porter Suspends Dodo Bar Or Collection Due to Designer's Video Post |url=https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-features/net-a-porter-removes-dodo-bar-collection-due-designers-comments-1235910054/ |access-date=2023-11-20 |website=WWD |language=en-US}} In November 2023, Net-a-Porter and Mytheresa reinstated Bar Or after she apologized and clarified "I had not realized this warning video was led by the voice of Adhan in the background, I did not mean to offend anyone by that".{{cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2023/11/02/business/net-a-porter-and-mytheresa-reinstate-israeli-fashion-label-after-designer-apologizes-for-controversial-video/amp/|title=Net-A-Porter and Mytheresa reinstate Israeli fashion label after designer clarifies controversial video post|work=New York Post}}

• Israel–Kuwait relations

{{reflist}}

• [https://liudmilafootwear.com/ Liudmila Footwear official website]
• [https://www.instagram.com/liudmilahq/?hl=en Her Instagram account]

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Category:Kuwaiti fashion designers

Category:Kuwaiti people of Iranian descent

Category:Living people

Category:Wesleyan University alumni

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)