Arab Press

بالشعب و للشعب
Saturday, May 31, 2025

Saudi Fashion Commission unveils big plans to support local talent

The Fashion Commission has announced a range of new initiatives to provide increased support for the Kingdom’s designers and greater opportunities to promote their work to a global audience.

At its inaugural Fashion Strategy Roadshow on Wednesday, the organization, which falls under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, unveiled plans to create a product development studio for use by designers, as well as four partnership deals with leading industry players.

CEO Burak Çakmak said: “Over the last two years, the Saudi fashion sector has made great progress. From the launch of our yearlong mentoring program — Saudi 100 Brands — to Fashion Futures, our annual conference and Elevate — our female leadership program — we have been maximizing opportunities for local talent.

“Building a product development studio in Riyadh is a major step forward toward making Saudi a thriving fashion center.”

CEO Çakmak signed four partnerships with major market players on behalf of the Commission with Mukatafa, L’azurd, Kamal Osama Jamjoom Group, and Sela.


Located at the Misk City Hub, the 1,000-square-meter facility will provide designers and students with world-class product development support, technology and equipment, including a 3D knitting machine, laser cutting machine, leather stitching and industrial sewing machines and fabric digital printers.

The studio will also have an extensive range of kit for jewelry making, including a Formlab 3D printer and a die cast metal stamping machine.

Princess Reema bint Bandar, who sits on the commission’s board, said: “This next generation of fashion designers and their innovative designs are absolutely enchanting. Their creative energy is evident, their talent is apparent and their vision is a sign of great things to come.

“Over 1,300 people applied to participate in the Saudi 100 Brands program, which is an indication of the vast promise of this industry,” she said.

“As Saudi opens up to the world, fashion will help us tell our story of change and the transformational impact of Vision 2030.”

As part of its ongoing efforts to support the fashion industry, the commission also signed four partnership deals, including ones with Mukatafa, an organization that seeks to increase collaboration between the private and public sectors, and multichannel retailer Kamal Osama Jamjoom Group.

The two others were with Middle East jewelry giant L’azurde in a bid to boost the exposure of local brands, and marketing firm Sela, with the aim of championing the Kingdom’s designers via the Saudi 100 Brands program and providing them with retail space during the high season of Ramadan.

Ammar Bogari, the commission’s general manager for strategy and business development, said: “Fashion isn’t only what we wear. Fashion is much broader than that. Fashion is culture. Fashion is economy. Fashion is environment and soft power.”

He added that thanks to Vision 2030, more than half of the people working in fashion in the Kingdom were women and Saudis held two-thirds of all jobs within the core sector.

Under the Vision initiative, the commission has sought to promote education and creativity in the fashion industry, as well as supporting product development and increasing localization of the manufacturing and supply chain.

It also recently announced a partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology to create greater opportunities for research and development.

Through the Saudi 100 Brands program, the commission has sought to increase the global exposure of Saudi fashion by exhibiting at New York and Milan Fashion Weeks.

Saudi designer Tima Abid, whose creations are included in the program, told Arab News the commission was having a huge and “beautiful” impact on the industry.

“I think the new strategies will give great opportunities to all the designers for their creativity to reach (global markets) in a form that pleases … and most importantly it will be an honorable interface for our country,” she said.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Arab Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
Head of Gaza Aid Group Resigns Amid Humanitarian Concerns
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
Netanyahu Accuses Starmer of Siding with Hamas
Calls Grow to Resume Syrian Asylum Claims in UK
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Denmark Increases Retirement Age to 70, Setting a European Precedent
Iranian Director Jafar Panahi Wins Palme d'Or at Cannes
Israeli Airstrike Kills Nine Children of Gaza Doctor
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki Erupts Again, Spewing Ash Cloud over Flores Island
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
Senate Democrats Move to Censure Trump Over Qatar Jet Gift
Hamas Releases Last Living US Hostage from Gaza Amid Ongoing Conflict
×