A Middle East debut with cultural resonance
On October 17, 2025, the legendary British fashion house Vivienne Westwood made its first-ever appearance in the Middle East by opening Riyadh Fashion Week 2025. Set against the Palm Grove in Riyadh, the striking runway moment celebrated Saudi Arabia’s artisanal heritage while introducing Westwood’s signature punk-inspired and couture traditions to a regional audience.
Craftsmanship meets couture
In a landmark collaboration with Art of Heritage—the Saudi cultural institution preserving the nation’s craftsmanship legacy—Westwood presented a specially-created capsule collection. This collection featured gowns embroidered by Saudi artisans, spanning techniques such as Hashu, Nadqdah (Talli), Dabkah and Zari, and married them with Westwood’s corsetry, drapery and sculptural tailoring.
Designing for dual identity: Westwood and the Kingdom
The show interwove the house’s Spring/Summer 2026 collection with archival creations and the capsule designed for Saudi artisanship. The tailoring extended to both women’s and men’s silhouettes—waistcoats paired with wide-leg trousers, double-breasted jackets in linen-wool drill, checks and tartan textures, leg-of-mutton sleeves and keyhole necklines. The colour palette ranged from sky blue and cream through turquoise to classic black—firmly anchoring Westwood’s house identity in a new context.
Cultural, symbolic and strategic significance
Westwood has a long history of championing craft, activism and heritage—partnering with industries in the UK, Europe, Africa and India. This Middle East debut with a Saudi-embroidery partner emphasises heritage as living culture—not mere nostalgia but an active collaboration between global label and regional craftsmanship. Fashion Week Online Riyadh Fashion Week’s venue locations—Bedrock, The Roof – Al Mamlaka, Jax B5—underscored the thematic journey of roots, present and future across Saudi creative economy.
The broader implications: fashion diplomacy & local empowerment
By staging such a high-profile show in Riyadh, Vivienne Westwood signals how global fashion houses can act as cultural bridges. The collaboration with Art of Heritage speaks to female empowerment, skills development and heritage preservation. As HRH Princess Nourah bint Mohammed Al Faisal of Art of Heritage noted, “Heritage is not a relic of the past, but a living force that shapes how we imagine the future.”
Why this moment matters
- It highlights the fusion of luxury fashion with cultural heritage and craft, aligning with sustainability, authenticity and social purpose.
- The show marked the house’s first runway in the Middle East, positioning Westwood in a new regional chapter. Women’s Wear Daily.
- It underscores Saudi Arabia’s ambition to elevate its fashion ecosystem and creative industries via international partnerships and pavilions.
