Meet the three Middle Eastern women fronting activewear brand Athleta’s regional debut

Performance can mean shaving seconds off a lap time, pushing through an endurance race or proving yourself on a film set. For three women from the Middle East, it also means challenging expectations of what they can achieve.

To mark its regional debut, American activewear brand Athleta has launched 'My World. My Rules', a campaign celebrating achievement beyond conventional sporting milestones. At its centre are Emirati racing driver Amna Al Qubaisi, Egyptian filmmaker and cinematographer Salma Elkashef and Saudi endurance athlete Lojain Alrefae.

Working in very different fields, the three share a determination to define success on their own terms.

For Al Qubaisi, a trailblazer in Emirati motorsport, the collaboration was a natural fit. Already familiar with Athleta's commitment to supporting women, she welcomed the opportunity to represent the brand as it prepared to enter the Middle East, beginning with the UAE.

Show caption: Trailblazing Emirati racing driver Amna Al Qubaisi. Photo: A…

“I was so inspired by how they empower women in a different way,” she says. “It really resonated with me because, as an athlete, you want to wear something that is sentimental but also good for the whole day.”

Activewear, she explains, has moved well beyond the gym, but must also accommodate the preferences of women in the region.

“Modesty is very important to a lot of us, so having a brand that really respects that and provides attire for us is opening doors,” she says. “It's not just sportswear. It's also aligned with fashion.”

Just as important to Al Qubaisi is the decision to feature accomplished women rather than conventional celebrity ambassadors.

“We want to see people who are actual athletes representing a sports brand,” she says. “Seeing that portrayed in their new campaign is something I'm really proud of.”

Show caption: Egyptian filmmaker Salma Elkashef also worked in front of an…

For Elkashef, the campaign presented an unusual opportunity: to work both behind and in front of the camera. Initially approached to direct the film, she was subsequently invited to appear in it.

“I thought it was such an interesting idea,” she says. “I'm doing what I love. I'm going to direct the ad and be in it while I'm doing something very honest.”

The prospect of appearing on billboards was exciting, but more meaningful was the chance to be seen practising her craft. On set, she moved between directing the crew and performing for the camera, a combination she found surprisingly natural.

Her path into filmmaking, however, was not always straightforward. The only woman in her cinematography class, Elkashef encountered resistance when she entered an industry where some still considered the physical demands of the job unsuitable for women.

“One person told me, ‘I think you should get married and stay at home,’” she recalls. She was 21 at the time. “There was this idea that it literally was not a woman's job. That I couldn't hold the camera or work the long hours.”

Rather than deter her, those attitudes strengthened her resolve. She worked harder to establish herself, eventually earning the respect of people who had once questioned her abilities. Some now work alongside her.

“I don't want to inspire women just by being a film director,” she says. “It's about showing that dreams come true, and anyone can do it.”

Show caption: Saudi endurance athlete Lojain Alrefae is one of the stars o…

Saudi endurance athlete and entrepreneur Lojain Alrefae approached the collaboration from another perspective. Having discovered Athleta while living in the United States, she was already familiar with the brand when the opportunity arose.

“I love the brand, the style, the aesthetics – everything about it,” she says. “It's basically what I live in anyway. But what really caught my attention was the whole idea of ‘My World. My Rules.’ It represents women everywhere. You own it, you're strong enough, and you have to believe in yourself that you can do whatever you want.”

A mother of three daughters, Alrefae sees her athletic ambitions as inseparable from the example she hopes to set. Being recognised by an international brand that shares her values is “an honour”, she says, particularly when it celebrates women's strength, confidence and individuality.

“My whole purpose in a lot of the things I'm doing is to be the best role model I can for younger generations, especially my girls,” she says. “It's very important for me to set an example for them, and to inspire people, whether younger, older or the same age. I want to make a positive impact through everything I do.”

For Alrefae, encouraging the next generation begins at home, with the belief that girls should feel free to pursue ambitions beyond the expectations placed upon them. The campaign's message, she explains, is less about ruling the world than having the confidence to shape one's own place within it.

That distinction runs through all three stories. Whether competing on a racetrack, working behind a camera or testing the limits of physical endurance, each woman has had to establish her place in a field where success requires more than talent alone.

For Athleta, their stories offer a way to introduce itself to the Middle East through the women it hopes to dress. For Al Qubaisi, Elkashef and Alrefae, the message is simpler: achievement is not just about what you accomplish, but the freedom to decide what success looks like.