< Previous328328 304-333_VISION_VOL2_RFW_MENSWEAR-MS.indd 32819/04/2024 13:20Menswear label Jubb pitched the vibe of its show as an “old soul in a vacay mood” and the vintage- inspired looks in resort-ready tones ensured holiday mode was well and truly activated. The Riyadh-based label was created to embrace a less-is-more philosophy, blending luxe and comfort, designed to be worn and re-worn season after season. Keeping it in the family, Saudi’s own supermodel Osama Afesh – brother of Jubb’s founder and creative director Yossef Bin Afesh – opened the show, in a crisp, cool all-white ensemble. Slouchy designs refl ected the relaxed attitude as fl uid jackets in soft baby blue were paired with fl owing satin trousers and coordinating neckerchiefs. Pastel peach shirts, casually unbuttoned, were layered over white tanks and split-hem loose linen pants in a nostalgic nod to the 1970s. After-dark looks included bold leopard and bright blue leaf-print satin shirts, ready for a neon-lit night on the town. Yossef has succeeded in creating a new class of contemporary resortwear through effortless dressing in easy fabrics, and this laid-back collection ensured the FROW had sunshine on their minds. JUBB 329 304-333_VISION_VOL2_RFW_MENSWEAR-MS.indd 32921/04/2024 20:37Uscita is the new kid on the block which wowed Riyadh Fashion Week with a succession of fresh, contemporary designs. Founded in 2021, Saudi Arabia’s fi rst gender- fl uid fashion brand lives up to its acronym: Unique, Sleek, Classic, Inclusive, Timeless, Attractive. Designer Turki Alassaf showed a covetable collection, playing with ordinary shapes, giving unexpected proportions to classic cuts and subverting the tenets of traditional tailoring. These looks have been conceived to be worn anytime, anywhere, “I can wear it to my offi ce but you might wear it to a dinner date,” Turki offered. Razor-sharp reinterpretations saw a classic double-breasted jacket worn with city shorts and chunky boots, while smart blazers were paired with denim Bermudas. A traditional thobe was reimagined, cut daringly low to reveal a glistening gold pendant dangling over a toned torso. Fresh from Riyadh Fashion Week, the young label is hungry for more recognition and success, Turki promised. “We haven’t even got started yet – we’re going to do something more spectacular in the future.” The label’s motto is ‘Be yourself ’ and in designs as dynamic as these, why would you want to be anyone else? USCITA 330 304-333_VISION_VOL2_RFW_MENSWEAR-MS.indd 33019/04/2024 13:20331331 304-333_VISION_VOL2_RFW_MENSWEAR-MS.indd 33119/04/2024 13:20332332 304-333_VISION_VOL2_RFW_MENSWEAR-MS.indd 33219/04/2024 13:20Welcome to the monochromatic world of MD29, with a hot new take on tailoring and fresh eyes on the future of men’s fashion. Designer Manai Al-Daoud is passionate about elevating traditional designs with her inimitable craftsmanship. Unconventional yet smartly curated looks were proudly paraded down the runway, with Manai asserting, “Our pieces stand out for their strangeness and distinctive style.” She stressed, “I wanted to show creativity in the designs, so I made the shirts appear fi xed and suspended in an innovative way.” The collection fl aunted an unconstrained sense of freedom with the reworking of formal jackets and trousers. The palette may have been neutral but there was nothing safe about this lineup. The sensational show was part rock star, part polished gent. “I would describe our latest collection as a liberation through designs that do not adhere to conventional cuts – they embody the DNA of MD29,” noted Manai. This collection encapsulated how Riyadh Fashion Week has shown the world that Saudi Arabia’s focus remains fi rmly on Vision 2030. “Our pieces have no specifi c time to be worn, as we aim to emulate the future in our designs,” explained Manai. Surely proof that MD29’s future is bright. MD29 333 304-333_VISION_VOL2_RFW_MENSWEAR-MS.indd 33319/04/2024 13:21334 THE FINAL FRONTIER 334-339_VISION_VOL2_HONAYDA.indd 33419/04/2024 14:22335 334-339_VISION_VOL2_HONAYDA.indd 33519/04/2024 14:22334-339_VISION_VOL2_HONAYDA.indd 33619/04/2024 14:22337 Honayda Serafi always dreamed big. How do we know? Is it her glittering roster of celebrity clients, which includes the most illustrious names in Hollywood and the Arab world alike? Could it be her Riyadh Fashion Week show, where she persuaded hijabi model Halima Aden to make a surprise return to the catwalk – the culmination of her journey from Saudi fashion brand to international success story as founder and creative director of her eponymous couture house? It is, in fact, because we’re at home with Honayda and one of her dearest friends, Saudi interior designer Malak Masallati, who she’s known since she was a teenager, and who is joking about the time Honayda announced to all her girlfriends that she planned on one day being a global name. “They always used to make fun of me,” laughs Honayda. Malak recalls, “We used to tell her, ‘How do you think you’re going to be famous? I mean, we’re in Jeddah in abayas, we don’t drive, we were so closed in.’ The opportunities were so limited then, but her vision was global.” After studying art at King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah, Honayda started her fashion career designing kaftans and abayas. A spell at Parsons Paris followed, and it was at the European campus of the New York-based school of design – whose alumni include Marc Jacobs, Donna Karan and Tom Ford – that she crystallised her dreams to become a household name. Today, with stockists in Riyadh, Jeddah, Bahrain, Beirut, Egypt, Cairo, and Kuwait, but also as far afi eld as Paris and Panama, it’s safe to say nobody’s laughing now. The secret of her success? “I work hard and I’m a fi ghter; this I can claim. I have a message that I want to deliver, to empower women, to show my culture, to be the ambassador of my country, to talk proudly about who I am, where I belong, and to change the perception of Saudi women from purely being spenders to being known as good businesswomen, too.” With her own fragrance, called One Love, a handbag line, plus positions on the Board of Directors at FAD International, and on the Advisory Board of the College of Art and Design at the University of Jeddah, Honayda is well on her way to becoming the lifestyle brand she hopes to be. In an emotional interview, she shares the truth about her journey… How has Saudi Vision 2030 affected you as a designer? Saudi Vision 2030 has already empowered women, opened a lot of business opportunities for women, and created more jobs in the fashion industry. There is more investment for Saudi designers, and a lot of new projects, including an education initiative of my own. Cultural events such as Fashion Futures, Riyadh Season, and Winter Wonderland are not only encouraging tourism but also leading Saudis to rediscover our country again. I believe in the future promised by Vision 2030. Now is the opportunity to change the perception of Saudi citizens from consumers to actual players in the market. The Kingdom is growing in all sectors, and fashion is defi nitely one of the sectors with great potential because it is still a greenfi eld area. Growing a fashion sector is certainly challenging but fi lled with opportunities. It is not only about the fashion designers we see rising more and more – there is a wave of rising talents like stylists, editors, photographers, makeup artists, hair stylists… All those talents emerge from fashion and create a complete industry matched with factories and raw material exports. Do you believe that Saudi fashion design and heritage can offer the world a unique point of view? Saudi heritage differentiates itself with the quality of its craftsmanship and its noble designs. I believe Saudi designers have the ability to fi t into all different fashion styles, especially considering our fashion heritage that is rich in techniques, inspiration, and textures. It’s a vast legacy for creatives to use and revisit, and it is the role of every designer to ensure the longevity of our fashion heritage and outreach to the global fashion landscape. How did Saudi women feel about HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud’s ruling making abayas optional? An abaya is something special, something unique. People who come from abroad would like to see how real people dress, and I think it’s also interesting for them to try our abayas. Our abayas make us special. It’s what makes us who we are; it’s part of our tradition, our culture. Our abayas have never restricted us from doing what we want to do. But now, since you have the freedom of choice, you can either accept to wear it or not. Modesty is what we care for when visitors come, because to dress modestly is to respect our culture – whether or not you wear an abaya, you have to be modest. I will keep wearing my abaya. Some women have already stopped wearing abayas, and that’s fi ne, but I feel it’s a tradition that will stay with us. It will take a couple of generations for Saudi women to not wear their abayas. When you see generations of Arabs abroad, often the grandmother is wearing an abaya, the mother maybe has a colourful scarf on her head, and the daughter won’t be wearing an abaya. We weren’t waiting for the moment to take off our abayas, but it’s all about the freedom of choice. PHOTOGRAPHY InDigital Media and Marc Medina WORDS Sujata Assomull and Alison Tay Honayda’s Cosmos collection for Spring/Summer 2024 celebrates the rst Saudi female astronaut and all pioneering women who reach for the stars — not unlike the founder herself 334-339_VISION_VOL2_HONAYDA.indd 33719/04/2024 14:22Next >