The NYC exhibition may have ended earlier this month, but worry not — the Big Apple was just the first stop, the Saudi 100 Brands exhibition may be traveling to a city near you sometime in the future (if you’re in the US).
The Saudi 100 Brands exhibition landed in New York City in July, with an announcement projected across Times Square, cementing the Saudi designers’ presence across the Atlantic and further accelerating the Fashion Commission of Saudi Arabia’s mission to globalize the Saudi message, enhance the Kingdom’s cultural heritage and identity and contribute to the country’s economy.
The Fashion Commission of Saudi Arabia, which is a subsidiary of Ministry of Culture, unveiled its first international showcase with its 100-designer cohort hand-picked from 1,500 artists and included creatives working in various different categories, from evening wear, to ready-to-wear, accessories, modest-wear and more. Each designer was tasked with creating a piece that reflects Saudi heritage and culture.
“The Saudi 100 Brands exhibition is part of a more extensive program that aims to mentor Saudi designers and provide opportunities for showcasing their work. Throughout the year, the chosen designers receive advice from fashion experts across the globe with one-on-one mentorship and informative workshops on topics such as design, innovation, marketing, and sales strategy,” said an online statement.
National pride
Burak Cakmak, Fashion Commission CEO and former Dean of Fashion at Parsons School of Design – The New School, said: “This is the first international exhibition showcasing the diverse creative talent from the Kingdom and their exceptional designs rooted in Saudi heritage and culture. We have chosen New York as the first destination because New York City has always been a center of creativity that celebrates all different cultures around the world”.
What is being dubbed as a traveling exhibition has created quite the buzz across social media channels, for Saudi creativity has now taken center stage and participating creatives have been able to channel their national pride. FTA 2022 ready-to-wear finalists, Lurline, who took part in the exhibition, exclusively tell us, “We are so grateful that we were given the opportunity to display our garment in the Saudi 100 Brands Exhibition in New York City. We appreciate everything Fabian Hirose and the Saudi Fashion Commission are doing for Saudi Fashion, and we feel so honoured to be one of the designers they chose to represent Saudi Arabian Fashion on the international scale!”
The exhibition is only the starting point for the 100 Saudi designers. They will all be receiving advice from fashion experts through workshops and mentorship schemes focused on design, marketing, sales strategy and innovation. Keep an eye out for the next stop, it’s a showcase of regional pride that you do not want to miss!
