The third edition of Riyadh Fashion Week wrapped up with impressive success after six days of vibrant shows, showcasing Saudi Arabia’s vision to establish itself as a fashion hub in the region. The event featured over 30 local designers and several international brands, reflecting the country’s commitment to developing its fashion industry and enhancing its global presence.
Vivienne Westwood & Stella McCartney: International Debuts at Riyadh Fashion Week 2025
The week opened with a milestone, Vivienne Westwood’s first runway show in the Middle East, presented at The Palm Grove in collaboration with Art of Heritage, a program led by Princess Noura Al Faisal. The British house unveiled a collection featuring gowns adorned with gold embroidery by Saudi artisans, merging the brand’s signature rebellious aesthetic with traditional Saudi craftsmanship in shades of lilac, emerald, and silver.
Showcase of Elegance: Standout Saudi Designers in Riyadh
Among the Saudi designers who presented collections, several emerged as standouts. Waad Aloqaili showed a couture collection balancing structure and softness, with sculpted gowns and fluid capes, coupled with intricate beadwork and embroidery in lilac, ivory, and champagne.
Atelier Hekayat brought theatrical sensibility to the runway with a collection titled “A Ticket to the Theater,” exploring contrast through a striking black-and-white palette that combined sharp tailoring with sweeping silhouettes and fluid capes.
Razan Alazzouni presented an ethereal collection in a monochrome palette, with delicate tulles and hand-beaded gowns that, in a dramatic finale, were projected onto the iconic Mamlaka Tower, blending the designs into Riyadh’s skyline. Leem offered a more understated approach, redefining modern modesty through relaxed cuts and thoughtful design, with rich hues and delicate metallic accents aimed at the evolving tastes of Saudi women.
Riyadh Fashion Week Venues: Past, Present, and Future
The show unfolded across three symbolic venues: Bedrock, The Roof at Al Mamlaka, and Jax B5, each representing different temporal themes, past, present, and future.
The program included runway shows, designer presentations at the Mandarin Oriental, and citywide activities designed to attract global buyers and industry professionals.
The week concluded with Stella McCartney’s first Middle East runway show, featuring her sustainable, cruelty-free designs at the King Abdullah Financial District.
The inclusion of these British fashion houses signals the Kingdom’s ambitions to attract established international brands while nurturing local talent.
Economic Vision Fuels Saudi Fashion Industry Growth
The event, organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission under the Ministry of Culture, has grown rapidly since its 2023 debut. Burak Cakmak, chief executive of the commission, has positioned the fashion week as integral to the Kingdom’s broader economic diversification efforts, emphasizing Riyadh’s potential as a major retail destination.
A Homegrown Advantage
According to Cakmak, the event reflects a strategic advantage: “In Saudi Arabia, we have the unique fortune of having our ideal audience at hand. This allows designers to experiment and create, thinking first and foremost about the people who will wear their collections.”
Whether Riyadh can sustain its momentum and compete with established fashion capitals remains to be seen, but this year’s event demonstrated significant investment in building the necessary infrastructure and international connections.
A New Stage for Global Fashion: Vivienne Westwood to Open Riyadh Fashion Week
