It had to happen eventually: poor Paris, stuck in its traffic jams and strikes, now sees its great rival rising on the horizon Riyadh. Yes, Riyadh, where fashionistas arrive not in overcrowded Ubers, but in limousines and private jets with massaging seats and perfectly chilled air at 19°C, as palm trees politely applaud their arrival.
Stella McCartney yes, that Stella McCartney will close the biggest season ever staged by Riyadh Fashion Week, with more than thirty shows (no small feat). Alongside her, Vivienne Westwood (in her very Saudi “desert princess chic” version) and a whole cohort of local talents are already ready to bury Parisian runways under a golden sandstorm of modernity.
Since its 2023 debut, Saudi Fashion Week has climbed at private jet speed to become an unmissable event on the global fashion calendar. The talk here is of sustainability, heritage, streetwear and, above all, XXL luxury. You’ll find Tima Abid, Atelier Hekayat, Abadia, Hindamme, 1886… names still unknown to the Marais snobs, but likely to become famous faster than a traffic jam on Place Vendôme.
And the best part? In Riyadh, they invite real journalists not the ones fighting for a tote bag and a lukewarm coffee in some 8th-arrondissement hotel.
Saudi designer Razan Alazzouni, whose smile shines as brightly as her silks, put it best: “Every year, it gets bigger, more diverse, and more refined.” Meanwhile in Paris, people are still trying to find the right exit off the ring road and a parking spot near the Palais de Tokyo.
So yes, let’s make it official: the Arabian Fashion Week is no longer a promise it’s a revolution. Paris, brace yourself: the desert wind is blowing strong, and it smells like the new world of fashion.