About US

Saina Babaee is the founder and creator of Ilai Sarai, a Persianate Luxury Lifestyle Brand dedicated to bringing art, culture and elegance into every space. Rooted in centuries of craftsmanship and storytelling, Ilai Sarai serves as a bridge between Persian and Turkic heritage and contemporary luxury, offering a curated collection of homewares, fashion, and design that celebrate the soul of artisanry.

Born out of a deep desire to revive and preserve West Asian craftsmanship, Saina founded Ilai Sarai to serve the six million Persians in the diaspora and global consumers seeking a connection to timeless culture. Through ceramics as a canvas for storytelling, contemporary fashion, and objects that are both everyday and museum-worthy, her brand reimagines tradition for the modern world.

For Saina, Ilai Sarai is more than a brand—it is a legacy. Inspired by her own childhood immersed in literature, art, poetry, and music, she grew up with a passion for stories and a deep reverence for voices often overlooked by history. From reading Tolstoy at the age of seven to mastering nine languages, she has always been drawn to the richness of culture and the power of language to shape identity.

Her vision for Ilai Sarai was sparked by a simple yet profound truth: scent, sound, and texture have the power to transport us home—even when "home" is many places at once. This universal connection to place, memory, and craft is at the heart of Ilai Sarai—a brand that evokes elegance, belonging, and the beauty of cultural heritage.

At its core, Ilai Sarai is a contemporary Persianate design house that revives forgotten artistry and empowers a new generation of creators, particularly women. Through her work, Saina reclaims the spirit of the female warrior, bringing back the soul of artisans whose work once graced royal courts and family tables.

For Saina, the mission is clear: to preserve, reimagine, and pass on the beauty of Persian culture—not just as history, but as a living, breathing experience for generations to come. Ilai Sarai is her way of ensuring that these stories, designs, and traditions do not fade with time, but instead continue to inspire, connect, and enrich the lives of those who seek meaning through art, heritage, and craftsmanship.

In addition to her work with Ilai Sarai, Saina has been an executive at Siemens for more than 17 years.  She has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from The Polytechnic Institute. She resides in Dubai with her husband and two children.