The Saudis are ready to take the spotlight in the world of fashion and design! With the launch of the official Saudi Fashion Week and the presentation of the Saudi Fashion Trunk Show months ago, Saudi designers are making names and waves in the international map of fashion and design.
H.H. Princess Noura Bint Faisal Al Saud, founder of the Saudi Fashion Community and the Global Fashion House, is heading the development and improvement of the Kingdom’s creative sector. In launching the “Sau.di Top Emerging Designers” program, she said, “This is only the first step of many initiatives and plans that we will be implementing to promote Saudi creative talent in fashion and design.”
There are a lot of Saudi designers who have made names for themselves on the international scene and they are continuously rising to the top of the fashion world with their unique designs. These designers have paved the way for newcomers in the industry and they continue to inspire those who want to follow in their footsteps. The Saudi Fashion Week gathers some of the best, the brightest, and the newest Saudi designers today.
Here are some of the SFW featured designers:
Designer Noora Al-Harthi founded RE:UNITE, a modern fashion brand that originated in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Al-Harthi became interested in fashion at a young age by observing her father’s style during the 80s. His sharp suits and his encouragement inspired her to be.come a designer. Couple this with the elegant formal wear she saw in Mayfair while studying in London, she worked to reinvent formal wear for women that are classy and timeless.
Khawla Alharbi makes ready-to-wear clothing line for women. She wanted to bring verity locally and push the boundaries of fashion design. She incorporates beauty, intelligence, and elegance in her label to cater to all women who want to reach their dreams and full potential.
Shams Alqahtani has a passion for arts and fashion. She was that artsy girl who spent most of her free time drawing and painting. Considered as a fashion protégée, she has always impressed everyone that got to know her. Alqahtani defines fashion design as a “therapy journey”. In her designs, she challenges herself find unique and creative results in a variety of art crafts and fabric manipulation. Each new collection is an exciting journey for her to discover more of herself and find new ways to improve her craft.
In love with fashion her whole life, designer Ashwaq Almutairi joined the Riyadh College of Technology in 2015 majoring in Fashion Design. She was known for her creativity and elegant designs. Her time as a trainee at the Laakilok Boutique gave her an opportunity to showcase her designs and get valuable experiences in the industry. She wants to compete internationally someday and she’s working hard to achieve this goal.
SAJAS, the first Saudi luxury brand, was established by Saudi designer and stylist Saja Alyousef who’s passion for fashion started in 2007. She attended several fashion courses and met a number of fashion designers and icons in her pursuit of fashion and design. She eventually came up with a collection for women that allowed her to participate in big fashion shows in Bahrain. This paved the way for her to become popular in the GCC. In 2015, she launched her first jewelry line for kids and in 2016, she participated in international jewelry events around the Gulf. In 2017, she launched the first branch of SAJAS boutique in Al Hasa.
Lum’s mission is to design and provide modern sim.plicity and comfort combined with the elegance and grace of the Victorian era. Launched in 2010 by Lama Taher, Lum’s first collection included feminine casual wear offering unique cotton t-shirts and chic jumpsuits and vests. The rapid expansion of the brand emerged after its first ready-to-wear evening collection. Lum expanded to create couture gowns that reflected delicateness and grace. Eight years since it launched, Lum haw now reached clients worldwide and its pieces are being sold in the Gulf, New York, and Los Angeles. Lama believes that “being a woman is a given, dressing like an elegant lady is an art.”
Other designers featured in the Saudi Fashion Week are Lama Askari, Hindamme by Mohammed Khoja, and Mashael Alrajhi. Meanwhile, Meshael Alnassar rounds up the group of Saudi Top Emerging Design.ers. The SFW also embraces the wider international fashion industry and welcomes the creations of Portuguese fashion designer Tony Miranda in the event.
With the recent fashion events in Saudi Arabia, Saudi designers and creatives are getting the recognition that they deserve. The Saudi fashion field is ripe with talents and skills and this is definitely the time for picking and taking their right place in the world of fashion and design. Their stars shine truly bright in the runway.
