BY LESLIE ANN FIESTAN
“Tell us who you are, come and join our journey, learn from our guests and be the future of this country” – Her Highness Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al Saud, Saudi Ambassador to the United States.
It was history in the making as Fashion Futures, a first of its kind fashion conference in the Kingdom, was held in Riyadh from November 4-6, 2019. Several legendary and iconic personalities of the fashion industry stepped inside the Cultural Palace of Diplomatic Quarters. Guest speakers include international model and activist.
Halima Aden, legendary French stylist Carlyne Cerf Dudzelee, American writer and editor Bob Colacello, Dutch couturier Iris Van Herpen, British designer Giles Deacon, and more. Saudi designers HRH Princess Nora bint Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Faisal Al Saud, Hinayda Serafi and Hatem Al Akeel are among the prominent local talents who also spoke at the event. Halima Aden, the most awaited keynote speaker, gave an inspirational talk titled “Don’t be afraid to be the first.” It was appropriate to have the first hijabi supermodel to grace the stage and inspire future models and designers to live by her motto “Don’t change yourself, change the game.”
The three-day event was attended by a handful of guests and local design students who were invited or have sent applications to attend. Aside from the talks by a panel of international and local experts, there were two workshops catered specially for fashion design students. The Ministry of Culture, organizers of the event, will also grant scholarships to promising Saudi design students, giving them the opportunity to study in prestigious Fashion Design schools in the US, as announced by its head, His Excellency Mr Hamed M. Fayez.
Saudi Arabia aims to inspire aspiring Saudi fashion designers by bringing in international fashion icons, writers, and models; forging a brighter future for the fashion industry in the Kingdom.
