King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra), in cooperation with the Saudi Fashion Commission, launched the "Saudi Fashion Exhibition", which runs until the end of November at the center's headquarters in Dhahran. The exhibition features more than 40 top Saudi designers, showcasing a wide range of inspiring designs with diverse Saudi patterns while shedding light on the Kingdom's past, present and future. Fashion Commission CEO Burak Cakmak stated: "Saudi fashion is unlike any other — it's exceptional, unique, luxurious, and incredibly meticulous." He added, "The fashion industry plays a key role in realizing Vision 2030 targets, and there is significant untapped growth locally and globally. The Saudi fashion industry has made great progress over the course of the past two years by launching initiatives that create opportunities for local talent." Walaa Tahlawi, head of operations at Ithra and the Saudi Fashion Exhibition curator, commented that Ithra, through these initiatives and programs, is igniting the community's passion for art by supporting and incentivizing Saudi talent. "It aims to provide a platform for the Saudi fashion scene to showcase its creativity before global and local audiences, in addition to assisting local talent participate in international fashion events to showcase works inspired by Saudi's rich heritage," Walaa said. The exhibition, open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., takes visitors on a nostalgic journey to the past and explores the present and future of design in the Kingdom. The exhibition displays a select group of creative designs based on the personal heritage of the designers, such as childhood memories, traditional architectural designs of homes built by their ancestors, sea waves, warmth of the desert and shades cast by palm trees. Through the "Saudi Fashion Exhibition", Ithra will showcase a variety of elegant and luxurious jewelry and handbags designed by Saudis to promote design and creativity in the Kingdom and provide a platform for young Saudi talent to display their creations and network among themselves and with visitors. The exhibition features work from Shahid Al-Shahil, designer and founder of Abadia, who believes that traditional crafts form an integral part of Saudi culture, and Nura Al-Damer, designer and founder of Chador, who fuses the past and present, east and west, and modern elegance and desert heat. Also on display are designs from Lumar's Louai Nasim and Muna Al-Haddad who focus on Bedouin fashion from a modern lens. They design traditional dresses that can be adapted to different environments in various ways. In addition, the exhibition displays work by designer Nura Al Sheikh, who believes clothing expresses identity. She creates modern designs made from various materials to be worn layered in different manners. Designer Tima Abid is participating in the exhibition with designs inspired by the Saudi environment, such as gold embroidery that represents the precious sand grains of Saudi deserts. Jewelry designers Uhod and Ibtisam Al-Gufaili are showing work based on the beauty and creativity of Najdi architecture, telling stories from the Kingdom's past and igniting memories of persistence, strength and achieving the impossible.
