Riyadh Fashion Week 2025: when Saudi fashion meets international glamour

Five days of style with over 30 fashion shows, 40 brands and special guests

The Riyadh Fashion Week 2025 (October 16–21) in Saudi Arabia has just concluded, transforming the capital into a true global fashion hub. Five days of style featured over 30 runway shows, more than 40 international and local brands, and 8,500 visitors including buyers and international media.

What made the event truly unique was the participation of the iconic Vivienne Westwood, who opened the fashion week with her Spring-Summer 2026 collection, and the debut of Stella McCartney, who closed the event presenting her collection previously showcased in Paris. Westwood also collaborated with local artisans, highlighting the blend of Saudi tradition and international creativity.

Vivienne Westwood

Riyadh Fashion Week is one of the newest but most significant events on the international fashion calendar. The initiative aims to promote local designers, attract major international brands, and diversify the country’s economy through creative industries. The project is led by the Saudi Fashion Commission, which coordinates all fashion-related activities in the kingdom to build a dynamic local identity. The event is part of the broader Vision 2030 plan, aimed at developing creative industries and attracting global investment, in a context where sports, art, and fashion are becoming increasingly central to the region.

This year, the fashion week created a dialogue between local creativity and global vision. Shows took place in iconic Riyadh locations such as Palmgrove and the Mandarin Oriental Riyadh, with showrooms for international buyers. A standout moment was at Kingdom Tower, where a celebratory film about the fashion week was projected on the 302-meter skyscraper’s facade.

Adnan Akbar

Among the 16 young Saudi designers featured, standout names included:

• Tima Abid – luxurious and feminine haute couture with hand-embroidered lace

• Alia & Abeer Oraif (Atelier Hekayat) – theatrical designs inspired by pearl diving rituals

• Noble&Fresh – bold, oversize, gender-fluid streetwear

• Adnan Akbar – sculptural, internationally-inspired glamour

• Waad AlOqaili – regal yet wearable feminine elegance

• Ashwaq AlMarshad – family traditions told through textures and fluid lines

• Abadia (Shahd AlShehail) – sustainability and collaboration with local artisans

• Arwa AlBanawi – Saudi luxury with oversized garments and Arabic calligraphy details

• Dananeer – youthful energy and traditional fabrics reinterpreted in a modern way

Emerging talents such as Razan AlAzzouni, Mona AlShebil, Reem AlKanhal, Hindamme, Nabila Nazer, Manel, and Fatima AlAbdulqader also confirmed the strength of local creativity, attracting global attention.

With Riyadh establishing itself as a fashion hub, Saudi Fashion Week has become a must-attend event for international buyers, media, and fashion enthusiasts.