Rayan was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, where her father worked, and lived there until she was eight. Growing up among people from different backgrounds made her curious about other ways of living. When her family moved to the coastal city of Sour, she found herself getting to know a place that was familiar to her parents but still new to her.

Outgoing and eager to perform as a child, Rayan particularly enjoyed art classes and school plays. She did well academically, although most lessons interested her less. At twelve, a television program about shoe designers led her to watch a fashion show, introducing her to a world she wanted to explore. She became fascinated by fabric, movement, and the stories garments could tell.

Rayan later moved to Beirut to study fashion at AUST, but was unable to continue after her first year. She prefers city life, enjoying its greater privacy and faster pace. During the war, her parents were forced to flee the south and relocate to Batroun, a coastal town in the north.

After growing accustomed to making herself smaller, Rayan is rediscovering her willingness to be seen. Her ideas can begin almost anywhere: a discarded object on the ground might suggest a silhouette and lead to a succession of designs. Tarot, astrology, and numerology also inform her interest in symbols and interpretation. At CSB, she wants to deepen her understanding of fabrics and techniques and discover how her ideas develop through working alongside others.