Saudi Arabia to host first fashion week spotlighting local brands

In what is set to be a first for the country, Saudi Arabia will be hosting Riyadh Fashion Week from October 20 to 23 with a lineup of 30 local brands showcased on the runway.

Alongside the inaugural event, which is being led by the Saudi Fashion Commission, there will also be a showroom where local brand products will be housed and displayed to both international and local buyers.

In addition to this, the fashion week will kick off with an Opening Gala Dinner that will welcome over 250 stakeholders from the international fashion community in a bid to serve as a networking platform.

In a release, the CEO of the commission, Burak Çakmak, said: “For the first time ever, we are welcoming the global fashion community to the epicentre of Saudi fashion, here in Riyadh.

“The event will showcase the best of our creative talent, allowing yet another opportunity for our brands to connect with the world. Whether you join us in person or via the livestream, we can’t wait to highlight what Saudi fashion has to offer.”

Details of the fashion week were first unveiled during Paris Men’s Fashion Week and Couture Week, at which the Saudi Fashion Commission presented a number of Saudi designers to showcase their collections.

Its launch further reflects the growing demand for fashion in the country, where fashion retail sales are expected to surge 28 percent to 32 billion dollars by 2025, according to a report by Fashion Futures.