In photos: Saudi fashion designers showcase unique collections at Milan Fashion Week
Designers from Saudi Arabia showcased their collections in front of a wholesale market for the first time at White Milano, one of Milan Fashion Week’s most anticipated events.
The event – part of Saudi 100 Brands initiative led by the Saudi Fashion Commission to help Saudi designers reach new audiences – was held in Milan’s Tortona Fashion District last week and featured a showroom dedicated to designers from Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning fashion scene.
Over 3,000 buyers and more than 3,400 attendees visited the showroom throughout the week, making it a unique opportunity for the designers to network and gain exposure to international fashion wholesalers as well as to put their collections and designs to the test.
“At White, we have been the first to believe in Saudi creativity and to bring such an extraordinary project to Milan. We are proud and glad that our vision has been so successful. In dialogue with the Saudi Fashion Commission, we have seized the cultural and business opportunity that characterizes this collaboration,” CEO of White Milano Brenda Bellei said in a statement.
Italy’s Vice Minister of Culture Lucia Borgonzoni inaugurated the Saudi designers and brands’ showcase which also attracted interest from top international buyers such as Harvey Nichols London and Bergdorf Goodman, Bellei added.
“From jewelry, to ready-to-wear, to bridal, Saudi fashion is unlike anything else. It is extraordinary, unique, opulent and meticulously crafted. It was incredible to see such interest from a b2b international market this week in Milan,” CEO of Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission Burak Cakmak said.
“Our participation in WHITE Milano allowed Saudi designers to take their place on the global stage, further enabling the growth of the thriving fashion industry. This aligns with the Fashion Commission’s vision of evolving the Kingdom’s fashion industry while responding to global needs and contributing to the economy,” he added.
The Saudi 100 Brands is a mentorship program which aims to equip designers and brands with the skills and knowledge to ensure a successful global market entry into the fashion world.
A hundred Saudi fashion designers were selected out of 1,400 applicants to participate in the rigorous year-long program led by experienced fashion industry experts.
Earlier this year in July, the Saudi Fashion Commission launched its first exhibition outside the Middle East in New York. The New York City exhibit showcased the Kingdom’s cultural heritage through pieces ranging from conceptual fashion to demi-couture.
