Saudi designers share inspiration behind Saudi Cup fashion

The Saudi 100 Brands exhibition is organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission, which created the program to select the best 100 fashion labels in the Kingdom to present their work globally. (AN photos/Huda Bashatah)
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Updated 25 February 2023
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Saudi designers share inspiration behind Saudi Cup fashion

  • Regional influencers and style icons are setting trends with custom-made designs created specifically for the event
  • The hand-made designer ensemble for Al-Rumaihi has over 700,000 beads and was inspired by the culture of the Kingdom’s Asir region, Al-Dhahri told Arab News

RIYADH: Regional fashion influencers and style icons are setting trends at the Saudi Cup this weekend with custom-made designs created specifically for the event.

One of the designers in the spotlight is Nour Al-Dhahri, who launched a Saudi luxury label under her own name in 2013 and is dressing Saudi influencer Nojoud Al-Rumaihi.

The hand-made designer ensemble for Al-Rumaihi has over 700,000 beads and was inspired by the culture of the Kingdom’s Asir region, Al-Dhahri told Arab News.




The entrepreneur opted for shades of blue and white to give “a relaxation and warmth feel.” (Supplied)

“We were inspired by the inscriptions they do — they have inscriptions on the walls and buildings, and this is what inspired us,” she said.

Al-Dhahri said that the region, located in the southwest of the country, was known for wheat and agriculture, so she and her team decided to add stem designs to the creation to reflect the history of the province. 

The gown, which took over two months to make, is made up of two pieces — a form-fitting plain dress and a cutout cape with a long train.

“When (Al-Rumaihi) walks, it will give a royal feel. It will look like a veil, but it is part of the dress,” Al-Dhahri said.

The entrepreneur opted for shades of blue and white to give “a relaxation and warmth feel.”




The hand-made designer ensemble for Al-Rumaihi has over 700,000 beads. (Supplied)

Al-Dhahri also created a special headpiece, with the same colors as the ensemble, “that perfectly fits the horse-race vibes,” she said.

“Horse races are always accompanied by crazy and creative hats — a piece of art.”

After Al-Rumaihi wears the dress, which weighs around 14 kg, it will be put on display at the Saudi 100 Brands fashion exhibition at the event.




(AN Photo Huda Bashatah)

“She (Al-Rumaihi) is the perfect person to represent us,” said Al-Dhahri. “We are proud that Nojoud is Saudi. She is an influencer who worked with international brands like Fendi, Gucci and Graff. She always gets special invites to Paris and Milan. So, we carefully chose the person to represent the dress.

“She is amazing and the outfits always look amazing on her,” the designer added. “She has Arabian features. We wanted someone calm, because, as I told you, the dress represents calmness and relaxation, and all these features are in Nojoud. So when she wears it, she will represent the dress from within.”




(AN Photo Huda Bashatah)

The Saudi 100 Brands exhibition is organized by the Saudi Fashion Commission, which created the program to select the best 100 fashion labels in the Kingdom to present their work globally.

Al-Dhahri said that she is “honored and proud to represent Saudi Arabia internationally.”

The exhibition at the Saudi Cup marks her first participation with the Saudi 100 Brands.




(AN Photo Huda Bashatah)

“There is more to come,” she added.

Two friends, Carlotta, who is also representing Noura Al-Dhahri, and Elisabetta, wearing Saudi brand Heart and Spirit, traveled from Italy to attend the Saudi Cup.

While the Kingdom is not a country they would usually think of visiting, they feel proud to represent Saudi brands as part of the country’s development.

“I chose this design because of the beautiful cobalt blue. I love the embroidery, and it reminds me as well of both Italy and Saudi, and I think that’s a beautiful mix. It’s wonderful to support designers in Saudi, especially women. It feels like we’re in a time of great change,” Carlotta told Arab News.




Danya Bin Saedan in Ivory Fashion. (Supplied)

Elisabetta sported a modern white silhouette dress with gold accenting prints inspired by historical designs.

“It’s a great way to honor the Saudi Cup and this tradition. I’m really proud to be Italian, but at the same time, I’m honored to represent a Saudi brand here in its own country,” she said.

Fellow Saudi 100 Brands designer Noura Alghilaisy has taken a more sentimental approach to her designs for public speaker and journalist Abrar Bahabri. Her brand is a tribute to strong Saudi women, balancing modernity, femininity and tradition.

Alghilaisy grew up with equestrian patriotism in her blood, as her father, Said, is a stable master at Ennabi Stables.




(AN Photo Huda Bashatah)

She admires the speed and strength of the horses, comparing both qualities to the swift developments of a changing nation and the many achievements in the fashion sector.

“I see that in my own brand. It gives that beautiful feminine look, accentuating the curves, but deep inside the women wearing it have so much strength,” she told Arab News.

For her featured Saudi Cup design, Alghilaisy has incorporated native embroidery and sharabat (tassels), local to the region, as well as a cape motif.

“The cape is an alternative to the abaya. It’s modest but edgy at the same time, which is similar to my brand,” she said.




(AN Photo Huda Bashatah)

The ensemble’s magenta burgundy shade is a tribute to her father’s stables, whose name roughly translates to the same shade. Viva magenta is also the color of the year for 2023.

“I want women to progress from a local to an international market. And there was a big gap to bridge before the initiatives of the Ministry of Culture to highlight these efforts within the Kingdom,” Alghilaisy said.

“Fashion is a great way to represent our culture and our country, and it’s also an extremely important international platform.

“Being part of the Saudi Cup meant so much more to me when I saw the pride in my dad’s eyes being involved in this sector. Fashion has also been part of this sector, but no one has left their mark in this way.”




(AN Photo Huda Bashatah)

Fashion designer Mashael Aldraei, founder of Saudi 100 Brands Ivory Fashion, took inspiration from Subalat Al-Mudi in Diriyah and the common theme of triangles within Saudi architecture.

She designed an exclusive dress for influencer and self-care advocate Zainab Al-Khalifah, founder of Zoz Lash Salon.

Each of Aldraei’s designs incorporates a modern take on King Abdulaziz’s agal, including the outfit she is representing at the Saudi Cup, highlighting the heritage of the Kingdom with natural tones found within the environment.

She also dressed businesswoman and influencer Danya bin Saedan.

“I used the soft pink tones for Zainab because she stands for the very essence of femininity, and I used the burgundy tone with Danya because it represents luxury,” Aldraei told Arab News.


Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory

Updated 08 May 2025
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Saudi Arabia ‘categorically rejects’ Israel’s plan to seize Gaza territory

  • Israeli authorities on Monday approved plans to take over territory and forcibly displace population
  • Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry strongly condemns Israel’s violations of international law

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has “categorically rejected” plans by Israel to expand its military operations in Gaza and seize control of the territory.

The ministry also “strongly condemned the continued Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law.”

Israeli authorities on Monday approved a new ground operation to take over parts of Gaza, forcibly displace Palestinians into the south of the territory, and control the distribution of humanitarian aid. The Israeli army is calling up tens of thousands of reserve soldiers.

The announcement sparked widespread international condemnation. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry said it stood firmly opposed to any attempted expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, and stressed the importance of holding Israel accountable for failures to comply with international resolutions.

The Kingdom continues to have “unwavering support for the Palestinian cause, in line with international legitimacy, the Arab Peace Initiative, and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with east Jerusalem as its capital,” the ministry added.


Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi project destroys 600 more Houthi landmines and other explosives in Yemen

  • The devices, cleared from various parts of the war-torn country in recent months, were safely detonated on Wednesday
  • Project Masam has removed nearly 500,000 mines across Yemen since its launch in 2018

RIYADH: Members of the Saudi Project for Landmine Clearance, also known as Project Masam, safely detonated 600 mines, unexploded ordnance and other explosive devices on Wednesday.

The project’s engineers had demined and removed the devices over the past few months from various parts of Yemen, including the town of Beihan and the districts of Usaylan and Ain in Shabwah governorate.

Hussein Al-Aqili, commander of the project’s survey team, said they carried out the destruction operation in the Thahba area of Ain district on Wednesday as part of their ongoing mission to clear mines and other remnants of war in Yemen, and save civilian lives.

The project has cleared nearly 500,000 mines from the country since its work there began in 2018.

Last week, Ousama Algosaibi, the managing director of Masam, warned that the Houthis continue to exploit periods of truce to plant more mines across Yemen.

“We are in a constant race with the Houthi militias; we clear mines from one side while they plant more on the other,” he said during an interview with Al-Ekhbariya TV.


Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi ambassador meets Bahrain King’s media affairs adviser

Saudi Ambassador to Bahrain Naif bin Bandar Al-Sudairi was received by Nabeel bin Yacoub Al-Hamer, media affairs adviser to the King of Bahrain, in Manama on Wednesday.

The adviser expressed his pride in the solid fraternal relations and deep-rooted historical ties that bind the two countries, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

He also wished Al-Sudairi continued success in his duties, which will further support and strengthen the fraternal ties, mutual coordination, and close cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in various fields, and particularly in the media.


 


Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi commission expands music access for people with disabilities

  • Push for accessible arts programming reflects wider goals for social development

MAKKAH: Saudi Arabia’s Music Commission has launched a national initiative to expand access to music education for people with disabilities, marking a key step toward their greater inclusion in the Kingdom’s cultural landscape.

Focused on Riyadh, Jeddah and Alkhobar, the program trains instructors to teach students with physical and cognitive disabilities.

It supports the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to elevate quality of life and ensure opportunities for all segments of society.

Music education expert Issa Al-Qarbi praised the initiative as a transformative step in supporting individuals with disabilities.

“Music is a highly effective medium for stimulating brain activity, developing motor and social skills, and enhancing overall psychological well-being,” he said.

The initiative includes adapting teaching methods, specialized curricula and fully accessible learning environments aligned with the requirements of the Mowaamah certification, a program which provides support to increase participation among disabled individuals in the labor market.

In designing the program, the commission partnered with international experts in music on the curricula and programs that align with global best practices.

The existing models were reviewed using the standards set by the National Association for Music Education.

The commission’s goal is to empower students to express themselves through music, boost their self-confidence and enhance their social, cognitive and motor skills.

The students will receive extended training that prepares them for group performances while supporting their artistic, cognitive and social development. Sessions with parents and community members are also being planned to raise awareness and encourage family engagement.

Al-Qarbi said that long-term sustainability and lasting impacts could be ensured by closer partnerships between the education and healthcare sectors.

He praised the initiative as a regional model, opening the door to further research and innovation.

He said that teaching music to individuals with disabilities went beyond technical skills, nurturing essential personal qualities such as patience, discipline and social engagement, which in turn positively influenced many areas of their lives.


Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

Updated 07 May 2025
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Saudi surgeons separate Egyptian child from parasitic twin

  • Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah says operation is one of the most delicate carried out by his team
  • Procedure takes 8 hours and involves multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants

RIYADH: A medical team from the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program successfully completed a surgical procedure on Wednesday to separate an Egyptian child from a parasitic twin.

The operation on 8-month-old Mohammed Abdulrahman Juma at King Abdullah Specialist Children’s Hospital in Riyadh took eight hours and was split into six stages. It involved a multidisciplinary team of 26 consultants, including specialists in anesthesia, neurosurgery, pediatrics and plastic surgery.

A parasitic twin, also known as a vestigial twin, is an identical twin that stopped developing during gestation and is physically attached to a fully developed twin. Because it did not fully develop, it cannot survive on its own and often dies in the womb or during birth.

Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, who heads the surgical team and is an advisor at the royal court and supervisor general of Saudi aid agency KSrelief, said the twins were joined at the back, lower chest, abdomen and pelvis. The parasitic twin lacked a head and essential organs, including a heart and kidneys.

Al-Rabeeah described the operation as one of the most delicate his team has been involved with, and thanked his colleagues for their efficiency and skill during the surgery, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Mohammed and his parents flew to Saudi Arabia in March after King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman issued directives for medics in the Kingdom to help the child.

The operation on Wednesday was the 63rd separation procedure carried out under the Saudi Conjoined Twins Program, which has reviewed 149 cases of patients from 27 countries since its inception in 1990.