Saudi fashion designers converge on the runway in Jeddah

Saudi fashion designers showcased their latest collections at an exhibition at the Hilton Hotel Jeddah on Saturday.
The three-day exhibition and fashion show, which ended yesterday, enabled Saudi fashion designers to show their designs on models strutting the catwalk.
Almost 30 reputed companies and fashion designers of national and international level participated in the exhibition with different collections, ranging from abayas, wedding dresses, bags, clothes, jewelry and other accessories. “
Saudi fashion designers need a boost to overcome obstacles they suffer from, especially since the fashion design field is based on creativity and innovation. It is our duty to embrace talents and praise them. As someone once said ‘A journey of a thousand miles begins with one step’,” said Afaf Al-Atafi, exhibition director at the organizer Alkhayal.
Alkhayal will conduct this exhibition on an annual basis. We will also launch a website to support Saudi designers, and give them a platform, she added.
The exhibition and the upcoming website are to provide a base for local and international fashion designers to be noticed by investors. They could help these talents on their way to success, said Al-Atafi.
Rawda Salami, an abaya fashion designer and entrepreneur, started her business two years ago. She loves to wear different styles of abayas. “I started to design my own abayas, to show more of the personality of the lady wearing it. As we wear our abaya on top of our clothes, it doesn’t matter how expensive your clothes are when the abaya always covers them,” said Salami.
It is very hard to develop a business, but it is fun, said Salami. “Participating in an exhibition like this gives us a chance to meet other women who are working in this sector and it gives us a chance to grow.” Aziza Mohammadi, a wedding fashion designer from Riyadh prepares all her dresses at home. She studied fashion design and material decoration.
“I started my business a year ago. I make all my dresses by hand. I design them and also work on them with beads and different materials. One piece takes me almost two months or more, depending on the design and work requirements,” she explained.
The fashion designers who participated in the show were Asma Bagader, Qwayma Azoz, Samhar Edris , Awayma Azoz, Liyla Wazna, Karen Millen and Demetrios.
Alkhayal organized the exhibition with the cooperation of the Women Welfare charitable organization under the patronage of Princess Latifa Thunayan. The exhibition and fashion show was attended by a number of entrepreneurs, royal family members, businesswomen, designers, female private university students and various government and training centers.