Saudi Arabia’s designers are strutting their stuff here with two dedicated showrooms aimed at raising the country’s fashion profile on the international stage. The showrooms are part of Saudi 100 Brands, an initiative backed by the Saudi Fashion Commission, which is working to promote local talent at home and abroad.
The first showroom, which focuses on ready-to-wear, will run until Tuesday at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine. The second will highlight couture designers and take place from July 3 until July 5 at the headquarters of Paris auction house Artcurial, not far from Avenue Montaigne.
The rtw showroom kicked off over the weekend with a cocktail and fashion show, while an invitation-only presentation to mark the opening of the couture showcase will take place at the Ritz hotel on July 3 at 8 p.m.
These Paris showrooms, which offer a mix of retail and wholesale, are a first for Saudi fashion. Their opening coincides with a debut report about the country’s burgeoning fashion industry, which is projected to grow to more than $32 billion by 2025.
At home, that growth will be fueled in part by a youthful population. More than 50 percent of the country’s denizens are under 25 years old, and they’re just as passionate about couture as they are about streetwear, according to Burak Cakmak, chief executive officer of the Fashion Commission.
