Opening acts of the four-day Paris fashion week begins on Monday, July 3. Saudi couturier, Ashi , shall present on Thursday. It’s his first ever official show.
A number of designers from the Saudi 100 Brands Programme will be displaying their creations at Fashion Week in Paris at the end of June and Haute Couture Week in early July.
Burak Cakmak, the CEO of the Commission, expressed his happiness with taking part in the two events, saying they will give local talent a chance to interact with their foreign colleagues and exchange expertise. He said that this contact will help them grow and hone their talents and provide them the chance to network with businesspeople, international customers, and fashion industry investors.
Cakmak went on to say that the Saudi 100 Brand Programme, which was introduced in 2021, has shown that the Kingdom is home to a wide variety of original brands and skilled people.
He emphasized that the Commission wants to make it easier for people from around the world to participate, giving them the chance to network and engage with subject-matter experts. Through this engagement at Paris, they would be able to take advantage of these experts’ knowledge and ultimately improve their abilities and distinctiveness.
More than 50 brands will be represented in this participation, which will take place at the Saudi Coffee Company-sponsored ready-to-wear exhibition in Paris from June 25 to 27 and the Couture exhibition there from July 3 to 5.
The Ministry of Culture is eager to encourage worldwide cultural exchange as one of the key objectives it intends to achieve under the aegis of Saudi Vision 2030, and this involvement also comes as part of the Commission’s efforts to strengthen the industry and nurture local talents taking place at Paris.
What we know, what we saw
When Ashi displays his collection on Thursday in Paris, the season will feature the first ever formal show by a Saudi fashion designer. Ashi has been officially included on the calendar of the Federation de la Haute Couture et de la Mode, the organization that oversees French fashion, proving that she is a legitimate talent in her field.
However, the Saudi Fashion Commission will organize a drink at the Ritz on Monday to honor Saudi designers. In the Hotel Marcel Dassault on the Champs Élysées in Paris, the commission will present five Gulf-based designers: Mona Alshebil, Hindamme, Charmaleena, Chador, Atelier Hekayat, and Abadia.
However, the Saudi approach to fashion is unmistakably more subtle; it focuses on developing homegrown businesses and designers rather than acquiring well-known international names.
Saudi Arabia’s retail fashion sales are predicted to increase by 48% to $32 billion between 2021 and 2025, a 13% annual growth rate. Mohammed bin Salman, the nation’s de facto ruler, also makes it plain that he wants regional companies to gain market dominance.
Another significant American event occurred with a Thom Browne couture show. It’s a significant victory for the Federation, especially given that Browne also serves as the leader of the organization that manages the New York runway season, the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
The following day, when French director Claude Lelouch is filming Stephane Rolland’s live runway show, the Palais Garnier, the capital of France’s baroque opera house, may descend into chaos as Thom performs. The first episode of the season is Schiaparelli, which was created by another renowned American, Daniel Roseberry.
A busy day will also see the arrival back in Paris of Australian fashion designer Tamara Ralph, who is famous for outfitting the global One Percent and the leisure class in London in her chic shapes.
Valentino
In 1960, Valentino Garavani established the luxury fashion house known as Valentino. The company is renowned for its exquisite and refined designs that use fine materials and craftsmanship. Numerous items are available from Valentino, such as ready-to-wear apparel, accessories, perfumes, and shoes.
Bold color choices, elaborate craftsmanship, and romantic aesthetics are features that frequently define Valentino’s creations. As a result of celebrities and significant people all over the world wearing the brand’s works, it has developed a devoted following and acquired global recognition.
However, Valentino’s upcoming collection debut at the Chateau de Chantilly, Paris, will undoubtedly be the most anxiously sought event of the whole week. The Big Three of today—Chanel, Dior, and Giorgio Armani—and the enormous couture houses will also be the subject of attention elsewhere.
France intends to host the 2024 Olympic Games’ opening ceremony beside the Seine next year. Chanel will get there first this season, doing two catwalk shows on the river’s edge on Tuesday.
Due to the continued popularity of couture, three renowned Parisian fashion companies, Patou, Celine, and Alaa, will present runway shows on Sunday, July 2, the evening before the season officially begins. Numerous jewelry stores are also organizing fashion-related shows, with the Place Vendôme serving as the hub of activity.
While tourists may also watch a variety of fashion exhibitions in the city. A recent show at Galerie Dior sheds light on the development of Miss Dior, a ready-to-wear line launched in 1967 at Marc Bohan’s suggestion. Also on show are silhouettes that Kim Jones created and have never before been seen. The series Marie-Antoinette’s 2022 pleated tulle and lace dress by the house’s designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri, pays reference to the Enlightenment.
The nearby must-see new exhibition, Yves Saint Laurent – Shapes and Forms, focuses on the geometric features used in the fashion of Yves, the most significant fashion designer of the last fifty years.
As a result, ten years after Pierre Bergé, Saint Laurent’s business partner, warned that fashion would die with Yves, the industry has never felt more vibrant. So much so that 32 houses in total will present shows the following week in what is already appearing to be a strong season.
