Over 40 Saudi designers to exhibit at Milan Fashion Week 

Saudi participation at the event will be organized in cooperation with the commission. (Saudi Fashion Commission)
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Updated 12 August 2023
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Over 40 Saudi designers to exhibit at Milan Fashion Week 

  • Clothes, jewelry, accessories designed in Kingdom will be displayed Sept. 22-25
  • Participation organized in cooperation with Saudi Fashion Commission as part of Saudi 100 Brands project

ROME: More than 40 Saudi designers will exhibit their creations during Milan Fashion Week at White Milano, an international showcase of the global fashion scene dedicated to all-around, ready-to-wear collections.

Clothes, jewelry and accessories designed in the Kingdom will be displayed at the Visconti Pavilion between Sept. 22 and 25 at an event seen as a meeting point between emerging Arab designers and the most influential representatives in the fashion scene.

“The White Milano event is one of the most important on the fashion calendar for emerging brands wishing to establish themselves,” said Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission.

“With the growing interest of consumers and investors in Saudi fashion globally, our designers are excited to interact with buyers and see where the most interesting business opportunities are.”

Saudi participation at the event will be organized in cooperation with the commission as part of the Saudi 100 Brands project.

Launched in 2021, this scheme allows selected Saudi fashion designers to take part in a year-long series of masterclasses, one-on-one mentorships and workshops on design and innovation, sales strategies and exhibitions, providing them with the best tools to grow brands both locally and internationally.

Courses are held by an international team of experts from leading fashion houses including LVMH, Kering, Valentino, Chanel, Calvin Klein, Tom Ford, Bulgari, Camper and Swarovski.

Lectures are also held by representatives of the London Royal College of Art, Bocconi University in Milan, the London School of Economics and Yale University.

In its first year, Saudi 100 Brands provided more than 5,000 hours of specialized mentoring. The designers taking part in the project are aged 20-70, and 85 percent of them are women. Most attended the best design schools in the world, although some are self-taught.


At Jazan festival, Suad Al-Asiri paints memory, land and leadership

Updated 13 January 2026
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At Jazan festival, Suad Al-Asiri paints memory, land and leadership

  • Local artist channels personal hardship into works that reflect Jazan’s identity, heritage
  • Jazan: A Nation and a Prince, places region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi

RIYADH: At the Ahad Al-Masarihah pavilion at Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s paintings blend memory, place and personal history, offering visual narratives shaped by beauty and hardship. 

A novelist and visual artist, Al-Asiri has long used art as a storytelling tool. After a near-fatal car accident in March 2024, her work took on a new urgency. Bedridden for 11 months, cut off from the public world for more than a year, she describes that period as one of the most painful in her life — yet also transformative. 

“First of all, praise be to God for granting me life, as the accident was extremely severe,” she said. “By God’s grace, I was given a new life. All my thinking after the accident was about becoming an inspiration to others — about enduring pain and obstacles, and still leaving an impact.” 

Her return to public life came in 2025, when she participated in National Day celebrations with the ministry of interior. By the time she arrived at Jazan Festival, she was ready to channel that experience into her art. 

The centerpiece of her display, “Jazan: A Nation and a Prince,” places the region at the heart of a composition featuring Prince Mohammed bin Abdulaziz and Prince Nasser bin Mohammed bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, governor and deputy governor of Jazan respectively. 

Visitors linger over the details: the painting incorporates coffee beans, sesame and khudair — materials drawn from local products.

“I wanted people to recognize these products immediately,” she said. “They are part of Jazan’s daily life, and using them makes the work more tangible, more connected to everyday experience.” 

The painting sparks conversation. Visitors discuss leadership, identity, and the intimate relationship between people and their environment. 

Beyond the central piece, Al-Asiri presents individual portraits of the two princes, expanding the dialogue into a broader exploration of heritage and memory.  

Her journey into art is tied to her life as a storyteller. Early experiments with charcoal and pencil evolved into abstract art, drawn by its expressive freedom. 

From there, she explored realism, surrealism, and eventually modern art, particularly pop art, which has earned her wide recognition in artistic circles. Her novels and media work complement her visual practice, earning her the title “the comprehensive artist” from the governor.

Yet what stands out most in this exhibition is how Al-Asiri’s personal resilience flows through each piece. Her experience of surviving a devastating accident, enduring months of immobility, and returning to the public eye informs every brushstroke. 

Visitors sense not just her artistic skill, but her determination to turn life’s hardships into inspiration for others. 

Walking through the pavilion, one can see it in the way she blends heritage symbols, southern landscapes, and scenes of daily life. 

Each painting becomes both a document and a dialogue — a celebration of Jazan’s culture, a reflection on identity, and a testament to the power of human perseverance. 

At Jazan Festival 2026, Suad Al-Asiri’s art is a quiet, persistent inspiration for anyone who pauses long enough to listen.