Exploring innovation at ‘Behind the Curtains: Scenes of Craft’ exhibition in Saudi Arabia

The “Behind the Curtains: Scenes of Craft” exhibition stands out as a captivating exploration of creativity, resilience and innovation in the world of design. (Supplied)
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Updated 05 November 2024
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Exploring innovation at ‘Behind the Curtains: Scenes of Craft’ exhibition in Saudi Arabia

  • Step backstage to experience the creative processes of 10 renowned design studios, where failure fuels creativity

DHAHRAN: As a part of the annual Tanween conference at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, the “Behind the Curtains: Scenes of Craft” exhibition stands out as a captivating exploration of creativity, resilience and innovation in the world of design.

The exhibition, aligned with the Tanween 2024 theme “Fail Forward,” invites visitors to embrace the beauty of setbacks as vital stepping stones in the creative process.




The exhibition, aligned with the Tanween 2024 theme “Fail Forward,” invites visitors to embrace the beauty of setbacks as vital stepping stones in the creative process.
(Courtesy of Ithra Studios)

Curated and designed in collaboration with Isola Studio, the exhibition showcases the works of 10 internationally acclaimed studios specializing in crafts, circular design and material research, and is on until Nov. 6.

“The idea of staging the exhibition led us to the name ‘Behind the Curtains’ because we want to show what’s behind what you see, through a theater approach,” Gabriele Cavallaro, co-founder of Isola Studio, told Arab News.

“We asked studios to display their latest projects, not just the final results, but also the process, including failures, trials, and broken pieces. This highlights that reaching successful design involves going through mistakes and challenges.”




Curated and designed in collaboration with Isola Studio, the exhibition showcases the works of 10 internationally acclaimed studios specializing in crafts, circular design and material research.
(Courtesy of Ithra Studios)

Each studio provided a behind-the-scenes glimpse into their artistic processes, sharing inspirations, prototypes, and materials that did not make the final cut. This transparency highlighted the essential nature of experimentation in design.

At the heart of the exhibition lies an interactive workshop area, where visitors can partake in hands-on activities including sketching, molding, and experimenting with various materials, allowing them to experience the creative process firsthand. 

This interactive component emphasizes that creativity is often a non-linear journey filled with exploration and discovery.

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Ithra | (@ithra)

 

The “Fail Forward” theme runs throughout the exhibition, encouraging visitors to see failures as essential learning experiences. By sharing their struggles and lessons, the design studios inspire visitors to embrace their own creative challenges. 

Cavallaro expressed his hopes for visitors, stating: “I want them to understand the importance of taking risks in life to achieve success.”


Mona Tougaard wears bridal look at Dior’s Paris show

Updated 27 January 2026
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Mona Tougaard wears bridal look at Dior’s Paris show

  • Rihanna and Brigitte Macron among attendees at show
  • Design part of new director Jonathan Anderson’s vision

DUBAI/ PARIS: Model Mona Tougaard reportedly turned heads in a bridal-inspired look on the Christian Dior runway during the recent Paris Haute Couture Week.

The runway star, who has Danish, Turkish, Somali and Ethiopian ancestry, wore a sculptural white gown with a one-shoulder silhouette and layered petal-like appliques cascading from the bodice to the full skirt.

The asymmetrical bodice featured draped detailing across the torso, while the skirt flared into a voluminous, floor-length shape.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dior Official (@dior)

The look was finished with oversized floral statement earrings that echoed the dress’s petal motif.

The floral elements echoed the wider vision of Dior’s new creative director Jonathan Anderson, who drew inspiration from nature and his love of ceramics for his first Haute Couture collection since being appointed to the role.

The 41-year-old faces the rare challenge of overseeing all three fashion lines at the house — women’s and men’s ready-to-wear and Haute Couture — becoming the first designer to do so since Christian Dior himself.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dior Official (@dior)

Just days after presenting his latest men’s collection during Paris Men’s Fashion Week, the Northern Irish designer returned with his first couture offering.

The collection featured floral motifs on fabrics or as accessories, while sculptural bulbous dresses were inspired by the work of Kenya-born ceramicist Magdelene Odundo.

“When you copy nature, you always learn something,” Anderson declared in his show notes, which compared Haute Couture to a living ecosystem that is “evolving, adapting, enduring.”

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Dior Official (@dior)

Other noteworthy pieces included dresses with spherical birdcage-inspired silhouettes, while other models wore vest tops with their dresses gathered around their waists.

The front row at the Rodin Museum reflected the scale of anticipation surrounding Anderson’s couture debut. France’s first lady Brigitte Macron arrived early, while Lauren Sanchez Bezos swept in shortly after.

Actor Parker Posey twirled briefly in a trench-style dress, playing to the room before settling in.

Then the space fell into a collective pause as celebrities and editors alike waited for Rihanna. When the pop star finally took her seat, the lights dropped and the show began.

Before the show, Anderson admitted in an interview with the Business of Fashion website that he previously thought couture was “irrelevant,” adding that he never really “understood the glamour behind it.”

“Now, I feel like I’m doing a Ph.D. in couture,” he explained.