ⓘ Featured image: Sonia Ali (L) and Fyza Ali; credits: Vogue.me
Sonia Ali and Fyza Ali, sisters born to a Turkish mother and Iraqi father in London, UK. Fyza Ali, the elder of the sisters duo, is known for her strong resemblance to Kylie Jenner, the world famous American model and businesswoman. Fyza coined the a make technique called ‘Buffing Techniques‘ during her tutorial classes in London in 2014. The technique garnered big-time hype and recognition from various celebrities and make artists globally. Sonia is highly recognised as a beauty blogger with strong resemblance to Kylie’s half sister Kim Kardashian. Sonia gained attention for her skills in bridal and general makeup styles.
Though the media often compare Huda Kattan, the famous beauty mogul from Dubai with Kylie and Kim, Sonia and Fyza set a new record with their immensely close resemblance to Kylie and Kim. If you’ve ever searched for terms on Google like ‘Kylie Jenner Dubai’ or ‘Kim Kardashian Dubai’, there is a chance that you’ve got landed on photos and videos depicting Sonia and Fyza instead, and that too without even noticing.
Based on various media reports, both Fyza and Sonia completed their primary education and studied Law and Art in the UK and moved to Kuwait to spend time with family and friends. And then moved to Dubai to create their fortune as fashion domain influencers for women in the Middle East.
SoniaxFyza
Sonia and Fyza are recognised as the first-ever women to create their online presence in the Middle East region – serving with their content and techniques to the Middle Eastern and South Asian women. They started their Instagram account @soniaxfyza in 2013 to showcase their work and skills, sharing makeup tips via video tutorials. The SoniaxFyza Instagram channel has gained 1.2 million followers until now. On top of that, the sister duo lay an inspiration for Middle Eastern influencers and women in general.
SoniaFYZAxMissGuided
Missguided is a UK-based global fashion brand, founded in 1996 by Nitin Passi, an entrepreneur born to parents of Indian origin. The brand collaborated with the sister duo Sonia Fyza in 2019, introducing a limited edition called SONIAFYZAxMISSGUIDED, designed by Sonia Fyza and MissGuided team – celebrating sisterhood and women empowerment.
While media and critics regard Sonia and Fyza as ‘Kardashian Wannables’, both have spoken about the same in an interview with Refinery29,
Answering the question about their comparison with the Kardashians, Fyza said,
“We always get told we’re Kardashian wannabes, but this is how we have always looked. Last year we were even contacted by the Kardashians a number of times for the ‘look-alikes’ episode of the show, but we said no,”
“If you came to Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, you’ll see all the girls look like them. The thing is, culturally and traditionally, a lot of women here don’t expose themselves online. Most women are very private. When we’re walking around Dubai, no one ever mentions the Kardashians. The Kardashians don’t even cross our mind unless someone says it online,”
“I like the Kardashians for bringing out this look. Before, we were always ignored by brands and companies because we didn’t have that ‘English look’ with rosy cheeks or blond hair and blue eyes. I think the Kylie comparisons for me have more to do with my short hair – I don’t think I really look like her. I have friends who look more like Kylie than I do.”
And Sonia says,
“In the Middle East, every single woman has a ‘Kardashian look.’ It’s very common. People here aren’t shocked by how we look because everyone has dark skin, dark brows, and brown eyes. Every corner you turn, everyone looks like a Kardashian.”
The Buffing Techniques
The globally known makeup artist Wayne Goss once attended a masterclass held by SoniaxFyza teaching buffing techniques and illustrated the same in a video on his YouTube channel. So if you are a makeup domain enthusiast, you might find this noteworthy.
Sonia and Fyza work with various popular brands as makeup influencers and had also launched a limited edition in collaboration with Dubai-based PinkyGoat.
