💜 Fashion Leads the Way for Change in Saudi Arabia

Nov 26

Nov 26 💜 Fashion Leads the Way for Change in Saudi Arabia

Earlier this month something unprecedented happened in Saudia Arabia. The country held its first ever fashion conference: Fashion Futures. Over the course of the two days a veritable who's who of international leaders and decision-makers in the field of fashion visited the Kingdom with the unique goal of educating and inspiring the fashion-loving citizens about the global billion-dollar industry.

*His Excellency Mr. Hamed M. Fayez - Vice Minister of Culture, (Fashion Futures Twitter).*

The conference acted as a launching pad for Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture’s robust commitment and investment into the local, regional and global fashion industry – with education, sustainability and the digital world as the cornerstones of this major initiative. Keynote addresses were made by heavy hitters like Ravi Thakran, group president of LVMH South Asia and South-East Asia, Australia and Middle East, who pledged – on behalf of LVMH – a $500 million dollar fund to help support and invest in designers and creatives in the GCC. And Supermodel Halima Aden, who is known for proudly wearing her hijab while she walks the top fashion runways around the world, who gave a moving speech entitled "Don’t be afraid to be the first".

*Halima Aden, (Fashion Futures Twitter).*

There were also one-on-one onstage interviews with designers like Iris Van Herpen, Giles Deacon and the iconic stylist Carlyne Cerf de Dudzeele, and round table discussions on the topics of communication in the digital age, sustainable fashion and the evolution of the beauty sector that featured respected speakers such as Olivier Bourgis, Maria Cornejo and Frederic Fekkai.

“Today with Fashion Futures we open a new chapter for the fashion industry in our country,” said Hamed M Fayez, Vice Minister at the Ministry of Culture. He also revealed that the Kingdom was in the final stages of launching a dedicated Fashion Commission, to foster the nation's design talent. “It will help unleash the creative potential of our fashion community by addressing the needs of our designers and discovering hidden talents. All of which will help Saudia Arabia’s fashion sector to grow, develop and compete on a global level,” he added as he announced that the country had decided to partner with the renowned Parsons School of Design in New York to send four emerging Saudi designers to study at the institution.

Local talents were also celebrated with Saudi designers Honayda Serafi, Arwa Al Banawi, and Hatem Alakeel, as well as Saudi photographer Hayat Osamah taking part in panels. At the same time, in an adjacent space to the main conference hall, packed workshops were running on different topics related to how to build a fashion business. Their focus, to educate and support Saudi Arabia’s fashion youthquake. Currently, more than 50% of the Saudi population of 34 million is under the age of 25. The meritocracy of the fashion industry has shown itself to be a very appealing avenue of self-sufficiency and self-expression to the country’s Gen Z and Millennial generations.

“By the very nature of attending, every single person here today is ambitious,” said her Highness Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud, an ambassador to the Minister of Culture, at the conference. “They all have dreams and they are gathered here to explore and craft ways to make them a reality.”

Another dream that came true during the 2-day conference took place at the Tuwaiq Palace cultural center. There, a private sit down gala dinner by three-star Michelin chef Yannick Alleno was held. It was followed by the first-ever western fashion show to take place in the country. In front of 300 guests, the expansive fashion show was filled with both cutting edge offerings from international labels like Givenchy, Off-White, Simone Rocha, Sacai and Stella McCartney, and leading local fashion designs.

For many of the women in the audience, the event was significant as an indicator of how far the country had come in such a short time. Many of them saying how one day they would tell their daughters and granddaughters that they were “there” on the night when fashion helped to bring about change in the Kingdom.

The entire event was seamlessly overseen by Richard Attias & Associates and it deftly illustrated that the company is skilled at bringing the right talents together to nurture key and original partnerships in the region. As the rules and codes of conduct are radically evolving in the country, it was encouraging to see such a momentous occasion go off without a hitch. “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an unexpected country. Saudi citizens are leading the march to create multiple new industries and to lead them with passion and professionalism. Fashion is one of them!”, pronounced Richard Attias, the Executive Chairman of Richard Attias & Associates.

In her rousing keynote address to the conference Her Royal Highness Princess Reema bint Bandar al Saud, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United State, gave her countrymen a galvanizing call to action when she spoke directly to the designers and creatives in the Fashion Futures audience. “Tell us who you are, come and join our journey. Learn from our guests. And be the future. Be the future not just of fashion. But be the future and the face of this country.”