Saudi Arabia held its inaugural fashion show with swimwear models on Friday, marking a major shift in a country where less than a decade ago women were required to wear body-covering abaya robes.
As reported by AFP, the poolside event showcased Moroccan designer Yasmina Qanzal’s collection, which included mostly one-piece swimwear in shades of red, beige and blue. Many of the models had bare shoulders and some had their midriffs partially visible.
The show took place on the second day of the inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week in the resort of St. Regis Red Sea Resort, located off the west coast of Saudi Arabia.
The resort is part of Red Sea Global, one of the megaprojects central to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 social and economic reform program overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
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Since becoming first in line to the throne in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has launched a series of social reforms aimed at softening Saudi Arabia’s austere image, which is historically influenced by a strict form of Islam known as Wahhabism.
These reforms included the removal of baton-wielding religious police who once enforced prayer times in malls, the reintroduction of cinemas and the establishment of mixed-gender music festivals. However, these changes have been accompanied by an increased crackdown on dissent, including a crackdown on conservative clergy who might oppose such moves.
AFP reported that Shouq Mohammed, a Syrian fashion influencer who attended Friday’s show, noted that this was not surprising given Saudi Arabia’s efforts to open up to the world and expand its fashion and tourism sectors.
In 2022, the fashion industry will contribute $12.5 billion, or 1.4 percent of the nation’s GDP, and employ 230,000 people, according to a report released last year by the official Saudi Fashion Commission.
