Who is Ebraheem Al Samadi? Besides the obvious answer of, “The son of a King, and the son of a Queen,” this Dubai-based entrepreneur turned reality star has much more to say for himself.
Ebraheem’s eccentric personality, quick comebacks and grandeur display of fashion is what gained everyone’s attention right from the first episode. Although he focuses predominantly on his relationship with the cast and his businesses on the show, he manages to keep a lot of his personal life under wraps. Which makes us wonder, who is Ebraheem and what’s his story?
Who is Ebraheem Al Samadi?
The entrepreneur, born in 1988 in Kuwait, relocated to the US. at the age of two, where he also pursued his education. In a podcast interview with Hikmet Wehbi, the Kuwaiti-American delved into his upbringing, revealing the challenges of his life growing up, how he had struggled to fit in and support his family.
Ebraheem opens up about his struggles with identity during his early years stating, “I’m called a hybrid, as I am half American half Kuwaiti. So, we didn’t get acceptance from each side…we didn’t know where we belonged, we were torn.”
He further reflected on the impact of frequent travel between Kuwait and the United States, expressing how it left him feeling incomplete in both Arabic and English, stating, “We travelled a lot so, I never stabilized completely on one language.”
Ebraheem & His Mother
Besides feeling torn between choosing an identity to grow up with, the Netflix sensation also struggled with having to witness his parents separate at just 13 years old. Ebraheem recounted how he transitioned to living with his mother and sister in a modest one-bedroom apartment following the separation, taking on the role of the sole provider at a young age, “I wanted to bring back to my mum the life she had at my dad’s place. I worked so hard and anytime I made money from eBay, I would put money in my mom’s purse.” To date, he credits most of his success to his mother and her constant prayers.
His love for his mother and unwavering determination is what turned him into a successful entrepreneur and fan favourite at the show. The star started off his business venture by selling his clothes on eBay, “It began as my mother telling me you have too many clothes, you don’t need all that. So I said ‘okay’. I heard about this website called E-bay and I listed jeans that I had and I never wore. I sold it for more than I purchased it for,” he revealed in an interview with Arabian Business. The rest as you know is history.
Ebraheem’s Career
His entrepreneurial aspirations grew as he bought the Forever Rose in London. The floral brand specialises in selling “flowers which last up to three years without water and sunlight and available in 34 colours.” Using strategic skills for this business he moved bases from London to Dubai upon realising the value of such a commodity in the Arabian market, which previously had royal clientele.
The brand also served as an inspiration for his popular café, Forever Rose Café. The conceptual 2D café first gained recognition on TikTok and very quickly became a must-visit spot in Dubai. No doubt following the success of the hit Netflix show, the café experienced an increase in visitors, as more people hoped to meet with the now-famous reality star, after joining the Dubai Bling cast in 2022.
Known for starting some drama and what some may say “stirring pots”, the reality star seemingly has strictly reserved the drama for on-screen matters only. Off-screen, he loves to show appreciation and respect for all those he adores. Ebraheem or ‘The Blooming Man’ as he refers to himself, went all out and spared no expense when it came to his wedding, which also followed the theme of his café.
Ebraheem’s Marriage
Dubai Bling season two kicked off with the highly anticipated wedding Ebraheem to Hamda Al Hamly. The couple officially tied the knot in March 2023. The wedding took place in Abu Dhbai at the Rixos Premium Saadiyat Island earlier this year. Planned by the White Seasons Events, the ceremony saw celebrities and stars from across the region. Ebraheem’s Dubai Bling co-stars were also in attendance from Farhana Bodi, to Lojain Omran, and season two’s newest edition, Mona Kattan.
While the wedding was an elaborate and opulent affair, it’s not the reality star’s first marriage – he’s previously been married twice before. He was first married when he was just 17-years-old after he was found him holding hands with a girl in a mall. The pair wed in Morocco, but the marriage was short-lived. He married once again in 2016, but didn’t disclose when the pair split.
This story first appeared on GRAZIA International.