California-Born Activewear Brand Athleta Is Making Its Way to the GCC

A racing driver, a cinematographer and an endurance athlete might appear to have very different working days, but much of what goes into their professions happens long before anyone sees the results.

For Emirati racing driver Amna Al Qubaisi, Egyptian director Salma Elkashef and Saudi endurance athlete Lojain Alrefae, that means early mornings, long hours and considerable preparation, whether on the track, on set or in training.

It is this less visible side of their lives that Athleta explores in its latest regional campaign, ‘My World. My Rules.’, bringing the three women together to examine their individual approaches to movement, work and everyday life.

For Al Qubaisi, doing things on her own terms has meant establishing herself in a sport where female representation was scarce when she began racing. She became the first Emirati woman to compete internationally in single-seater racing and the first Arab woman to win a Formula 4 race. More recently, she became the first female driver to compete in the Pro category of the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia.

“When I started racing there weren’t any other girls on the grid. I didn’t have anyone to look up to in the sport, so I had to work out my own way of doing things,” she says.

Her experience gives the campaign's central message a particularly personal significance, especially when she considers the opportunities available to younger women in the region.

“It also means a lot to be part of a campaign made for women in the Gulf. When I was younger I didn’t see many women here in sport campaigns. If a girl sees this and thinks she could try something new, that matters more to me than anything.”

Although racing is the most visible part of her career, the work extends considerably beyond competition weekends. Between training, travelling, coordinating with her team, meeting partners and attending events, her schedule rarely follows the same pattern twice.

“People see the race weekend, but that’s a small part of it. Most of the work happens away from the track,” she explains.

For Salma Elkashef, movement takes on a rather different meaning. The Cairo-based Egyptian director, photographer and visual artist works in an industry where long days on set, constant adjustments and the practical demands of bringing a production together are part of the profession.

“There are so many talented, hardworking women in this industry, and I love that this campaign shows that women can direct, lead a set, and bring ideas to life,” she says.

Elkashef does not necessarily organise her days around a structured training routine. Her work provides its own considerable amount of physical activity.

“Honestly, I don’t work out that much, but I’m constantly moving every day,” she says.

For Saudi endurance athlete, fitness trainer and Mulu Athletics co-founder Lojain Alrefae, training occupies a more deliberate place in her routine. Alongside her work in fitness and fashion, she competes in endurance races, including events in AlUla, and has set herself the ambition of completing an ultramarathon exceeding 70 kilometres.

Yet even for someone whose professional life is closely connected to physical fitness, performance extends well beyond the hours spent training.

“For me, performance goes far beyond the gym. It’s about how I show up in every part of my life – as a professional, a mother, and a woman,” she says. “The strength, discipline, and confidence I build through training carry into everything I do.”

That understanding has also influenced how she measures success. Rather than looking to other people's expectations for direction, Alrefae considers it a matter of identifying her own ambitions and having the confidence to pursue them.

“To me, ‘My World. My Rules.’ means defining success on your own terms, trusting yourself, and not letting other people’s expectations define you,” she says.

Across the racetrack, the film set and the endurance course, the demands placed on these three women are markedly different. So, too, are the routines they have developed around them. What connects their experiences, and gives Athleta's ‘My World. My Rules.’ campaign its premise, is the idea that movement, ambition and success can take as many forms as the women defining them.

The campaign accompanies the GCC expansion of Athleta, a women-first performance and lifestyle brand extending its e-commerce presence across the region through a partnership with Chalhoub Group. Founded in California in 1998 and acquired by Gap Inc. in 2008, Athleta has built its identity around combining technical performance with the comfort and versatility of everyday clothing, creating pieces designed to accompany women from training sessions to working days and travel.

The expansion forms part of a broader partnership between Gap Inc. and Chalhoub Group, announced in August 2026, which will introduce Gap, Banana Republic and Athleta through a phased online rollout across the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, with physical stores expected to follow in 2027.