Riyadh Fashion Week: A Global Stage for Couture & Culture

From October 16 to 21, 2025, Riyadh Fashion Week (RFW) transformed Saudi Arabia’s capital into a global fashion arena. Over six dynamic days, the city hosted more than 30 runway shows, presentations, and immersive activations - a bold statement of the Kingdom’s ambition to redefine its place in the fashion world.

Here’s a deep dive into what made this edition of Riyadh Fashion Week stand out, why it matters and how it signals a shift in global fashion geography.

A Platform with Vision

RFW didn’t just happen - it was built. The event is organised by the Saudi Fashion Commission under the Kingdom’s Ministry of Culture, and this edition marked a clear evolution. For the first time, the schedule expanded to include significant international brands, while still elevating home-grown Saudi talent alongside them. 

This is meaningful. It means the event is no longer a regional showcase; it’s positioning itself as a global hub. Why does that matter? Because it creates a space where:

  • Local designers gain international exposure.

  • Global houses engage with Middle Eastern markets on their terms.

  • The narrative around Saudi fashion shifts from being derivative to being innovative.

This mix wasn’t for show. It reinforced the event’s core message: global and local can converge in the runway space, creating something neither could achieve alone.

Riyadh Fashion Week calendar

Day to Day Highlights

Day 1 – October 16

Runway Highlights:

  • Tima Abid: A collection anchored in emotional narrative and couture craftsmanship - strong silhouettes, powerful motifs, and a clear voice.

  • Adnan Akbar: A master of Arab couture, as always blending tradition with modern luxury. Tailoring, detail, and heritage in one frame.

  • Atelier Hekayat: A theatrical, tip-of-the-hat to performance in fashion - structured pieces that felt like scenes rather than simple outfits.

  • Vivienne Westwood: Opening the week with a Middle-Eastern debut, collaborating with Saudi artisans - a true global-meets-local moment.

What we saw:

Craftsmanship anchored in heritage, yet not nostalgic - each designer offered a look that leaned forward. Day 1 set the tone: culture meets couture.

Day 2 – October 17

Runway Highlights:

  • Leem: Sleek, wearable elegance. Modern modest silhouettes that don’t compromise on luxury.

  • Rebirth: Free-spirited and artisanal, with movement, texture and a younger voice.

  • Amen: A contemporary take on design, playing with print, structure and attitude.

  • Waad Aloqaili: Drawing on heritage - the sea, pearling culture - interpreted through fabrics and fluid forms.

  • Ashwaq Almarshad: Minimal in palette, intricate in detail. Soft tones met delicate embroidery for quiet luxury.

  • Abadia: Closing the day with depth - layers of story, fabric, and cultural inspiration.

What we saw:

Day 2 expanded the narrative beyond couture glamour into everyday (yet elevated) dress. It reflected that Riyadh Fashion Week isn’t just high-drama; it’s diversified, inclusive, and in motion.

Day 3 – October 18

Runway Highlights:

  • Femi9: Young, fresh and bold - a silhouette language that resonates with tomorrow’s women.

  • Aram: Whimsy plus structure. Nautical tones, playful references, but with polish and finesse.

  • Razan Alazzouni: Romantic couture at its best. Soft tulles, hand-beading, and an emotional finish that felt cinematic.

  • Mona Alshebil: A designer whose work is quietly ambitious - strong heritage references blended with modern minimalism.

  • Reem Alkanhal: Evening elegance with narrative - each look a story in fabric and form.

  • SV by Saudia: Street-meets-luxury, bridging ready-to-wear with runway sensibility.

What we saw:

A broad spectrum of design voices. Day 3 proved that Riyadh Fashion Week isn’t just about one version of “luxury” - it covers wearables, couture, youth, tradition, and edge.

Day 4 – October 19

Morning – Presentation Highlights:

  • Nabila Nazer: Emerging talent, likely more intimate, speaks to the future of Saudi design.

  • Dananeer: A fresh voice - energy, colour, youth.

  • Manel: Design exploring identity and region, riding the wave of what Saudi fashion is becoming.

  • Fatima AlAbdulqader: Soft luxury, nuanced craftsmanship - builds trust in the broader ecosystem.

Evening – Runway Highlights:

  • Mihyar: Ready-to-wear meets couture finish - tailored, precise, elegant.

  • IH NOM UH NIT: Understated luxury for the globally aware woman.

  • RBA: Emerging with ambition, pushing aesthetic boundaries.

  • Hajruss: A label with quiet power—materials and form speak volumes.

  • Mirai: Street-wear influence, global perspective - shows were fresh and bold.

  • Hindamme: High-concept, narrative-rich, deeply rooted in regional craft and architecture.

What we saw:

This day underscored the depth of the week. Both emerging and established voices were given space. Presentations and runway shows blurred - meaning the week isn’t just spectacle, it’s substance.

Day 5 – October 20

Morning – Presentation Highlights:

  • Solitude

  • SADF

  • RealSelf

  • Noble & Fresh

Evening – Runway Highlights:

  • Eleven

  • House of Cenmar

  • Qormuz

  • Awaken

  • CARGO

  • 1886

What we saw:

The penultimate full day delivered variety, mixing bold ready-to-wear with high concept runway. The morning slots were key for up-and-coming designers, the evening lights for full-scale productions. The ecosystem felt alive.

Day 6 – October 21

Runway Highlight:

  • Stella McCartney: The closing show - her first in the Middle East - brought sustainable luxury into sharp focus and positioned RFW as a global stage.

What we saw:

Ending with a global A-list gave the week international resonance. It was a statement: Riyadh doesn’t just host fashion now - it anchors it.

Riyadh Fashion Week

Why This Edition Matters

So what shifts did we actually see at RFW 2025 that make it feel like a new era?

  • Global plus local synergy: International houses debuting in the region alongside home-grown talent.

  • Diverse categories: Couture, womenswear, menswear, streetwear - breadth that mirrors global fashion weeks. 

  • Innovation and craft emphasis: Designers continuing to elevate Saudi textiles, motifs and heritage techniques.

  • Commercial and cultural alignment: A fashion week that is both an artistic statement and a business catalyst.

This isn’t just about visibility; it’s about positioning. The world is watching - and Riyadh is showing it means business.

What This Means for Fashion Lovers Everywhere

If you’re a fashion-startup founder, a stylist, an influencer, or simply someone obsessed with how trends move globally, here’s why this matters:

  • New collaborations await: With Saudi Arabia opening up as a fashion partner, expect fusion collections and cross-border creative projects.

  • Marketplace expansion: Brands previously focused on Western markets may now consider the Middle East more seriously.

  • Cultural conversation: Fashion here is not only about aesthetics - it’s about narratives, identity and regional voice.

  • Consumer empowerment: Younger Middle Eastern audiences are shaping what prestige, luxury and style mean - globally.

In short, the fashion map is shifting.

Riyadh Fashion Week

Looking Forward

With RFW setting such a high benchmark in 2025, the next editions will be about depth: more mentorship, stronger retail link-ups, sustainability initiatives, and perhaps new categories we’ve yet to widely explore (tech fashion, modest wear innovation, experiential retail).

As the event evolves, it’s clear that fashion is no longer just a creative industry - it’s a key component of cultural diplomacy, economic diversification and creative identity for Saudi Arabia.

Final Thoughts

Riyadh Fashion Week 2025 wasn’t just another fashion show - it was a declaration. It said: this region is ready to host, innovate, create and lead. For a moment, the spotlight was on the runway, yes - but also on a broader movement of design, ambition and cultural expression.

Back to Blogs