DUBAI: All eyes were on Saudi design at one of the 2023 Venice International Film Festival’s most anticipated premieres. Saudi actor Mohamed El-Shehri hit the red carpet for director Yorgos Lanthimos’s new film “Poor Things” in a beautifully embroidered jubba by Saudi designer Abdulrahman Al-Abed for his brand Qormuz.
For El-Shehri, the attention-grabbing look was not just a fashion statement, it was a tribute to the Kingdom’s rising industry.
“Saudi Arabia has a singular culture that I want to help reveal to the world. There are a lot of Saudi designers and local brands, and part of my message is to support them because I believe in them. They have good quality, the right mindset, and they are super creative with each of their pieces. I’m so proud to help put the unique fashion we have here in Saudi on the world stage,” El-Shehri told Arab News.
El-Shehri (“Sikat Safar,” “Valley Road”) is himself coming off a hit localization of an international hit, hosting the MBC smash “Million Dollar Land,” filmed in NEOM, which wrapped its successful first season last month. As he works to expand his career internationally during his first trip to the 80th festival, El-Shehri contacted designer Al-Abed after seeing a piece he had created that was both rooted in history and suited to the occasion.
“I saw this jubba and it really struck me. It’s inspired by a specific place in Saudi — Al-Bahah, in the Sarwat Mountains. It’s colder there, so people wear heavier garments with more texture, just like this one. Abdulrahman really put his own touch on the jubba, and I was honored to wear it here in Venice,” El-Shehri said.
Qormuz, founded by Al-Abed in 2017, was one of the Saudi 100 brands on display at last year’s Milan Fashion Week. This spring, a dress inspired by pigeon houses of the Al-Kharj region entitled “Al-Dalam” was the talk of the Saudi Cup 2023.
El-Shehri also collaborated with international brand Dior, wearing DiorBlackSuit glasses to complete the look.
“My philosophy is to mix and match between Saudi brands and high-end brands, another way of displaying the many ways that our cultures intersect,” El-Shehri said.
Due to the SAG-AFTRA strike, the stars of “Poor Things,” including Emma Stone and Egyptian-American actor Ramy Youssef, were unable to attend, but director Lanthimos (“The Favourite,” “Killing of a Sacred Deer”) and a host of international actors, filmmakers and models attended the debut of the film, which has been called one of the best movies of the year.
“The reaction here was amazing. Everyone was saying ‘wow!’ when they saw the outfit. I thought that you could wear something more traditional, but I realized you need to stand out in this kind of event, and I think we really accomplished that.”
