RIYADH: Moe Bajbaa has established himself as a leader in breaking barriers and pushing innovative cultural perspectives through his clothing brand Proud Angeles and fashion consultancy Proud X.
While Proud Angeles has built a substantial name for itself in the fashion world over the past few years, Bajbaa didn’t realize the true impact of his brand’s impact on the community until recently during a campaign shoot. “The whole concept of the campaign was to do something authentic and inspired by the culture,” he said.
“What was so beautiful is that during the shoot, the kids in that place became part of the shoot. Five, six, seven, eight-year-old kids playing with us, learning from us, asking us who we are, asking us what we do. At that moment I realized, it’s not just about the people, it’s about the youth,” he said.
‘The mission is to help fashion brand owners and designers to be successful. The vision is to elevate the fashion standards.’
Moe Bajbaa
The name was first introduced to the world as an apparel retailer in Los Angeles, showcasing designs by big names such as Carrots by Anwar and Vast Life. Bajbaa later adapted his skills and education abroad to build Proud Angeles as a standalone fashion brand.
Moe Bajbaa. (AN Photo/Huda Bashatah)
Initially, Proud Angeles was seen as a colorful and eccentric apparel company, promoting urban culture influenced by the breezy West Coast lifestyle. The subtle nod to both Saudi Arabia and Los Angeles through their signature palm tree logo will tell you it stands for much more.
HIGHLIGHTS
• The brand prides itself on its mission: Bridging gaps between regions and diversifying the Saudi experience.
• Proud Angeles’ focus this year includes growing their team and collaborative ventures, launching their collaborative campaign promoting mental health, and celebrating their 7th anniversary.
• Their upcoming clothing collaboration with Jeddah-based artist Rex Chouk has already been teased on social media, to be released online and at multiple points of sale in early March.
The brand prides itself on its mission: Bridging gaps between regions and diversifying the Saudi experience. As the country is rapidly changing and opening its doors to new and exciting opportunities, how does that affect the brand’s approach?
The entrepreneur believes that this gives creatives an exciting canvas to work with. “There’s a lot of interest and curiosity, and a lot of people who want to be associated with new scenes and new communities but they’re new to it. It’s raw. They’re doing it their way.”
Proud Angeles also works with local Saudi creatives through collaborating with designers, digital artists, photographers, models, stylists and record companies. Their aim is not only to advertise their own efforts, but also the youth and underground talents that work alongside them. “There’s so much more we can do, like having a basketball academy, having more consistent documentation and articles and talking more about those talents, launching our brand ambassadorship program,” Bajbaa said.
The commitment of the “Proud Family” to upping the brand’s game is not to be overlooked. “This company’s growth goes hand-in-hand with my own growth,” said Proud Angeles Brand Manager Mohammad Baassiri. “Being a one-man job to a two-man job, and we’re able to keep up our numbers and our production, and the impact we leave on our community — that’s the biggest (accomplishment).”
Proud X, the associated fashion consultancy, was born out of an apparent gap in the market during the rise of the pandemic in 2020. “The mission is to help fashion brand owners and designers to be successful. The vision is to elevate the fashion standards,” Bajbaa said.
Proud Angeles’ focus this year includes growing their team and collaborative ventures, launching their collaborative campaign promoting mental health, and celebrating their 7th anniversary. Their upcoming clothing collaboration with Jeddah-based artist Rex Chouk has already been teased on social media, to be released online and at multiple points of sale in early March.
Empowering the community is what they consider most important. “There’s enough in this market for everyone to grow. If I was worried about competition, I don’t think my brand would be where it is,” Bajbaa said.
