Saudi Arabia Just Launched Their First-Ever Dedicated Fashion Event
Fashion Futures: Welcome to the Kingdom’s flagship fashion event
International fashion designers, models, editors and entrepreneurs including Halima Aden, Iris Van Herpen and Giles Deacon have descended in Riyadh today to celebrate the inauguration of Saudi Arabia’s first-ever dedicated fashion event: Fashion Futures. The high-profile three-day event will feature talks, panels, workshops and discussions led by some of the biggest names in the international fashion arena to nurture and develop the fast-growing fashion sector in the rapidly evolving kingdom.
The initiative will support the cultural vision set forth as part of Vision 2030, the modernization program put in place by HRH Mohammed Bin Salman with fashion being one of 16 key sectors that the Ministry of Culture will work to cultivate. The Fashion Futures platform will serve to create a dialogue between homegrown Saudi fashion talent and the international fashion industry by addressing topics impacting the industry on both a local and global scale.
“By bringing together a diverse group of fashion experts from both the Kingdom and around the world we are facilitating international cultural exchange; providing Saudi fashion professionals with the opportunity to learn from some of the best in their respective fields, while offering a platform to showcase their talent to a global audience,” said Abdulkarim Alhumaid, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of Culture in Saudi Arabia. “Fashion Futures is the first important step on a journey to transform the Saudi fashion industry from a nascent under-developed sector to a flourishing hub of creativity and innovation.”
The roster of international industry heavyweights attending the Fashion Futures event is yet another testament to the KSA’s dedication to the development of its cultural sector. The guests will partake in a series of engaging and educational events and activations which will touch upon some of the most pressing topics in fashion including the digital revolution, sustainability, modest fashion, ethical business practices and more.
Guest participants at the inaugural event include:
- Halima Aden, International Model and Activist
- Hatem Al Akeel, Saudi Designer
- Hayat Osamah, Saudi Photographer
- Giles Deacon, British Designer
- Iris Van Herpen, Dutch Couturier
- Wil Beedle, Creative Director at All Saints,
- Arby Li, Editor-In-Chief of HYPEBEAST
- Ravi Thakran, Group Chairman, LVMH South Asia and Southeast Asia, Australia and Middle East
- Honayda Serafi, Saudi Designer
A dedicated label showcase featuring collections from Saudi designers will serve to bolster the talent that currently exists within the country’s nascent fashion industry, opening up the potential of the country’s burgeoning fashion sector to the rest of the world.
For information on Fashion Futures, visit their website here.