< PreviousLupita Nyong’o, Priyanka Chopra, Janelle Monáe, Naomi Campbell, Adriana Lima, Hend Sabry, and Dorra Zarrouk are already Honayda fans. Who else would you love to see in your designs? Defi nitely Queen Rania of Jordan, Michelle Obama, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, and Catherine, Princess of Wales. I love seeing women with courage wearing my designs, and I’m so thankful to all the women who wear Honayda. Why was taking part in Riyadh Fashion Week important to you? Riyadh Fashion Week is all about building the business of fashion in Saudi Arabia. This is what I struggled with in the beginning – not knowing how to build a business made me want to share the experience and share the struggle I went through. I want to inspire people and I want to learn from people. Fashion Futures, the Saudi 100 Brands initiative, and Riyadh Fashion Week are really important to help build the fashion industry in Saudi Arabia. The Ministry of Culture has opened doors for all the young designers who are looking to become global in the fashion world. I couldn’t be more grateful for what’s happening now; it’s a new era. We were actually the target for all the international designers to come and have their brands here, and now we have the creative designers, the buyers, the knowledge, and the will to pave our own way in the fashion industry. We have great hopes, big dreams and amazing goals, and I’m sure we will conquer the world with our Saudi designers and our heritage. We have a lot to give the fashion world. What did it mean to the nation’s design talent to host the fi rst Riyadh Fashion Week? Hosting Riyadh Fashion Week aligns with the Vision 2030 goals of fostering a vibrant society, stimulating economic growth, and shaping progress for Saudi Arabia across different fi elds. This event embodied the nation’s commitment to diversity and economic transformation. By introducing a platform dedicated to fashion, Saudi Arabia showcases its evolving landscape, moving beyond traditional sectors and embracing creative industries. How did it feel to be a part of it? Saudi Arabia is where I started and it’s an incredible honour to do my fi rst show in my home country. Being part of the fi rst Riyadh Fashion Week felt like a homecoming for me. It was a deeply personal and touching experience, being able to contribute to the fashion scene in the very place where my passion for design began. Can Riyadh Fashion Week make a global impact? Without any doubt. The high level of organisation of the Riyadh Fashion Week has succeeded in making a global impact, from planning to execution, since it was an innovative approach with a diverse representation, infused with traditional Saudi culture that hit global fashion trends. Riyadh Fashion Week captivated an international audience with its ability to redefi ne perceptions, moving stereotypes, and positioning Saudi Arabia as an international hub for fashion. Has Saudi’s focus on nurturing creatives come at the right time? It’s always the right time to focus on nurturing creatives, particularly in Saudi Arabia, because the opportunities and growth are apparent and most interesting. Saudi Arabians have signifi cant purchasing power in fashion; in the GCC, more than 50 per cent of the luxury expenditure is from Saudi. We have a great infl uence internationally, which the local talents can defi nitely benefi t from. There is a vast pool of talent in the Kingdom, spanning several creative fi elds that the Ministry of Culture and the Fashion Commission are actively supporting. Can Saudi designers garner the attention of international buyers? We are witnessing a shift in the global fashion scene, where buyers are leaning more and more towards niche and distinguished designers as they strive to offer exclusively curated pieces to their clientele. In addition to London, Honayda is stocked regionally and internationally from Saudi Arabia, to Kuwait, Qatar, Egypt, all the way to Panama. How important is the role of the Fashion Commission? The Fashion Commission is creating a fashion sector and is the main body behind building this 360-degree industry, proving the great potential of the local talent and the contribution this sector can make to the Saudi economy. It will take time to mature, yet there are great opportunities now available and open for investors to come and build this industry in Saudi specifi cally, as the Ministry of Culture and Fashion Commission have placed strategic lines of development for the sector, locally and on a national level. What advice would you give the talent of tomorrow? Fashion is fun, business is hard. Believe in yourself, believe in your work. People may like your designs, people may not – it’s a matter of taste. But make sure you have good quality, good price points, and understand your client, then just put on your superhero cape and go. Now is the time for you to fl ourish, and the fashion industry in Saudi Arabia needs you. It’s your time. 334-339_VISION_VOL2_HONAYDA.indd 33819/04/2024 14:22339 HON AY DA 334-339_VISION_VOL2_HONAYDA.indd 33919/04/2024 14:22340 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Agata Wycichowska PHOTOGRAPHY Vladimir Martí STYLING Qwan Anthony STYLING ASSISTANT Imogene Legrand MAKEUP Mabs Khakwani SENIOR PRODUCER Steff Hawker TALENT Esther Afolayan / Fashion League UAE ARTWORK Fink22 Dress, MASHAEL AL FARIS. Necklace (worn as headpiece), YATAGHAN JEWELLERY Fresh from the success of Riyadh Fashion Week, the couture designers of the Kingdom show the world a clear and confi dent vision of creativity and craftsmanship on their own terms 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34021/04/2024 20:38341 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34119/04/2024 15:35342 Dress, TIMA ABID 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34219/04/2024 15:35343 Dress, TIMA ABID 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34322/04/2024 16:35344 Dress, MASHAEL AL FARIS. Necklace and Bracelets, YATAGHAN JEWELLERY 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34419/04/2024 15:35345 Dress, KHAWLA ALAIBAN 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34519/04/2024 15:35Dress, ADNAN AKBAR. Necklace and Bracelets, YATAGHAN JEWELLERY 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34619/04/2024 15:35Dress, TIMA ABID 340-359_VISION_VOL2_COVERSTORY-MS.indd 34719/04/2024 15:35Next >