ALULA: A Saudi designer has channeled childhood artistic enthusiasm into a distinguished professional career, weaving AlUla’s aesthetic and cultural character into creations that celebrate authenticity, while also drawing on the Kingdom’s cultural and natural legacy.
Dalal Al-Juhani’s interest in design began early, and she has refined her skills through rigorous academic training and hands-on practice.
The designer has represented Saudi Arabia at domestic and global events, spotlighting the nation’s creative vitality and cultural richness.
Her accolades include gold at London’s International Trade Exhibition for AI-driven tourism guide attire innovation, dual Romanian and Croatian gold medals at the same event, third-place recognition in King Abdulaziz University’s handicrafts division for sustainable accessory concepts, and gold at the 2025 Saudi International Innovation and Invention Exhibition for eco-conscious jewelry inspired by the Prophet's Mosque ornamentation.
Al-Juhani strives to feature the Kingdom’s natural resources and domestic industries as foundational elements in her work.
Observing the nation’s landscapes gives designers an expanded capacity to distil beauty and integrate it within contemporary creations honoring traditional foundations, she said.
Al-Juhani acknowledges the Kingdom’s support for cultural and artistic pursuits, saying that specialized government bodies have facilitated cultural education through targeted programs, including overseas scholarships and professional development initiatives, reinforcing national expertise within creative industries and fostering excellence.
She believes designers should look beyond aesthetic production and seek to preserve heritage, safeguard cultural memory, and respect ancestral roots, while projecting national character.
AlUla constitutes a visual and intellectual touchstone throughout her portfolio. The area’s distinctive topography, archeological inscriptions, and ecological diversity inform a design vocabulary that reveals a symbiotic connection among individuals, geography, and identity, she said.
