Ahead of Saudi National Day tomorrow, we wanted to look back at some of the most inspiring creative talent to have emerged from The Kingdom.
With a flair for quality, craftsmanship, innovation and respect for tradition, Saudi designers manage to take the best from their heritage and put it on a global scale.
NUUN Jewels
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Her Royal Highness Nourah Al Faisal from Saudi Arabia balances modernity and exquisite quality in her high jewellery brand NUUN Jewels. Established in Riyadh in 2014, in just two years she secured a prime boutique spot in Paris’s prestigious Rue du Faubourg Saint Honore address. Focusing on architectural shapes and looking to her surroundings, the collections regularly pay tribute to Nourah’s family or home
Dana Al Alami
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The jewellery designer Dana Al Alami launched her brand in 2008 and her hand-selected collection of rare and one-of-a-kind high-value jewellery fetched $100 million at an exclusive auction in Dubai.
Honayda Serafi
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She launched her namesake label in 2017, working with modest and elegant silhouettes. Over the last two years, the designer has managed to dress some of the biggest stars, including Priyanka Chopra and Lupita Nyong’o to name a few.
Yousef Akbar
Yousef Akbar pieces underscore his fascination with the interaction of cloth and the human body. His collections challenge conventions in cutting and garment construction, while maintaining elegance and femininity. His brand is built on creating ethical and responsible couture and ready-to-wear garments that allow his customers to look and feel good. Akbar uses recycled materials and supports local artisans in small communities from the Middle East and around the world in his manufacturing process.
Deema Ajlani
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Deema Ajlani launched her label in 2016. With no formal training, she oversees every aspect of her online store as well as the design process – she even creates some of her standout prints. For her latest collection, the Saudi designer has looked to the culture, colour and customs from the continent of Africa to create modest pieces that are vibrant and easy to wear.
Razan Alazzouni
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Something tells us that if Grace Kelly was around in 2018, she’d turn to this label. Sculptural, feminine and beautifully detailed, Alazzouni’s designs show off her fine arts background, with a sophistication that belies the brand’s two-year history.
Ashi Studio
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Mohammed Ashi is a master of dramatic, architectural silhouettes, with results that manage to be both romantic and avant-garde all at once. The brand’s uber-feminine yet contemporary couture gowns would also make an inspired choice for brides wanting something a little different.
Noora Hefzi
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Saudi born and Dubai based, Hefzi’s designs marry glamour and a bohemian edge with ease. The label, founded in 2005, is jam-packed with pieces that sing with luxury (think metallic golds, voluminous silks and ethereal chiffons) but are never overbaked. Bookmark this brand for high-end brunches, country weddings, and after-dark galas.
Arwa Al Banawi
Arwa Al Banawi proudly celebrates Saudi Arabia through her contemporary and edgy collections. Always looking ahead and creating for the next generation, her approach has not only hit the spot with the regional clients, but also with the global fashion scene. A former investment banker, she saw a void in the market for womenswear that is both professional and fashion forward for the young business woman. Think sharp tailoring, bold colours and a touch of streetwear edge.
Sheen
Creativity can have many outlets, and Saudi designer Nosheen Bakhsh chose jewellery as her medium, but she wanted to do more than just create shimmering pieces with her brand Sheen. What started out as a university project in 2010 has grown into a business of fine jewellery that celebrates heritage traditional arts and gives back. Sheen currently makes fine jewellery and donates a percentage of proceeds to selected caused such as the UNHCR’s Syrian crisis and Rohingya emergency, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) and also Revive Kashmir, independent, non-religious, and non-partisan organisation that has many ongoing projects in Kashmir.
Abadia
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Shahd Al Shehail has managed to preserve the craftsmanship and heritage of Saudi Arabia with her women-led sustainable brand Abadia. It aims to be mindful in every step of the process – from sourcing our materials, to engaging our artisanal community in a sustainable manner, to minimising waste and repurposing deadstock, to designing timeless products.
Sadeem
In the world of fashion, couture appears to be one of the more sustainable practices with all of the pieces handmade to order. It is in this realm that the Saudi designer Sadeem Alshehail chose to channel her creativity. Paying close attention to detail, the pieces are elegant and sophisticated and are regularly inspired by Saudi folklore, architecture as well as silver-screen sirens and historical heroines.
Leem
Over the past few years we have witnessed the rise of modest fashion, and the Saudi brand has come to be because of it. Leem is the brand for modern, global, and conservative women. They take the fashion world’s latest trends and reimagine them to better suit women of the region.
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Images: Supplied, Instagram
