RIYADH: The Fashion Commission’s Saudi 100 Brands Ramadan retail pop-up show opened this week in Riyadh to showcase the talents of a host of local designers.
The event aims to empower young fashion creatives by helping them to develop their brands and find local and international customers.
Among the items on show are evening gowns, ready-to-wear fashion, jewelry, shoes, bags, fragrances and even cutting-edge menswear.
Saudi designer Yossef Bin Afesh, the founder of menswear brand JUBB, explained the inspiration for his new collection.
“It is a spring/summer collection inspired mainly by Mykonos,” he said.
“I was always in love with Mykonos: the breeze vibe, the architecture, the view of the ocean, the overall color palate of the architecture. So that’s why I was really focusing on the selection of the fabrics, applying the right color palate.”
Jeddah-based sustainable abaya brand The Untitled Project is also exhibiting its spring/summer collection at the event.
Its founder, Israa Allaf, said: “For the collection this year, I really wanted to present pieces that cater to Riyadh specifically. I believe here in Riyadh there are so many different trends, and we really wanted to enter the market in a way that would resemble Jeddah but also have more of a luxurious feel and color palate.”
The Untitled Project is one of several exhibitors that support sustainable fashion, an idea that is actively promoted by the Fashion Commission.
CEO Burak Cakmak said the commission wanted to provide designers with the support they needed to operate a business model that was better for the world.
“The Kingdom is very keen to do everything in a new way. Hence, we need to start the fashion sector’s growth with sustainability in mind,” he told Arab News.
“This is an area that many of the young brands are very keen to take on board and we are looking at how to ensure that we are creating jobs and opportunities for brands to do things: give them resources that are understanding, giving them knowledge about sustainability.”
The exhibition is also keen to support body positivity, with Noura Alghilaisi one of several local designers promoting diversity and inclusion through their collections.
“The brand has its own identity evident in the curved shape of clothes we make. The brand’s identity is showcased even in the shape of our shopping bags,” Alghilaisi said.
“The reason why I chose this curved, circular shape for my brand is that it depicts the curved shape of feminine bodies. I made sure to employ the circular, curved shape from cuts to layering in the brand’s collections to be consistent with the brand’s identity.”
The Ramadan retail pop-up is open from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. daily in Hall 4 of the Riyadh Front Exhibition and Conference Center. Tickets cost 50 riyals ($13.30).
As well as the huge choice of clothes on offer, there are also food and drinks stalls to keep visitors happy.