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RIYADH: Riyadh Fashion Week 2025 puts the spotlight on ������Ƶ’s fashion industry, with homegrown powerhouses Atelier Hekayat and Abadia taking center stage.

Both labels delivered striking displays that merged cultural heritage with contemporary design, with the creative head of each label talking to Arab News about what it means to take part in the annual event.

Atelier Hekayat presented its latest collection on Thursday with a poetic and theatrical line titled “A Ticket to the Theater,” inspired by the transformative magic of performance, according to show notes. With flowing silhouettes, bold cuts, and intricate embellishments, the presentation paid homage to those who bring stories to life behind the scenes — both in theater and in fashion.

“This collection is a tribute to every soul who has ever stood behind the curtain,” Alia and Abeer Oraif, the sister designers, told Arab News. “The silent heroes who made us laugh, cry, and believe in magic.

 “We wanted to celebrate the moment a woman embraces herself with love and grace,” they explained. “It’s a story of self-love and confidence reborn under the spotlight.”

Presenting their work in Riyadh carried special significance for the brand. “This year’s participation means the world to us,” they said of Riyadh Fashion Week, which runs until Oct. 21. “It’s a celebration of our journey — of who we are and where we come from.”

Closing the second day of Riyadh Fashion Week, Saudi label Abadia presented a resonant collection grounded in heritage and elegance. The designs featured voluminous soft silhouettes, sophisticated layering, and rich textiles including silk, velvet, and wool. A warm palette of browns, creams, and golds paired with muted pastels and deep burgundy created an atmosphere of reflection and strength.

The creative force behind Abadia is Shahd Al-Shehail, who co-founded the brand with her aunt, Naeema Al-Shehail.

“This collection is very personal to me,” the designer told Arab News. “It is inspired by my grandfather’s story when he was young and ventured into the sea to mark his coming of age.”

That coming-of-age journey became the emotional anchor of the collection, symbolizing courage and growth. “It reminded me of what it means to choose courage over comfort,” she said. “To surrender, and to embrace the unknown.”

Through this lens, Abadia drew inspiration from the legacy of pearl diving communities, paying tribute to the resilience of the women who upheld their families during the men’s long absences at sea. The collection seamlessly blended strength and softness — a balance that lies at the heart of the brand’s identity.

“This year feels different,” the designer said. “It feels like a moment of coming full circle. Our brand has grown, but our purpose remains the same: to honor our roots while continuing to evolve with courage and intention.

 “It is more than just a show,” she said of the event in the capital. “It is a chance to share our story with the world, to celebrate Saudi creativity, and to highlight the craftsmanship that defines our work.”

DUBAI: Set to run from Oct. 22 to 26, We Design Beirut is a products, interiors and furniture fair that bucks convention due to its staging in several of the capital’s key historical buildings.

While design fairs around the world usually stage showcases in one location, often a convention hall devoid of any real character, founder and CEO Mariana Wehbe and partner and creative director Samer Alameen were keen to highlight historic buildings in Beirut.

“There were spaces and places that have been forgotten ... whether the history, the archaeology, the stories they hold,” Wehbe said recently.

“So it’s more a story about Beirut and it’s more cultural than commercial,” Alameen added.

Exhibition locations include Villa Audi, Beirut’s Roman Baths, Burj El-Murr, an unfinished skyscraper turned war relic, and Abroyan Factory, an abandoned textile facility.

“This isn’t just a design week … this has become a way of talking about our country, protesting in our own (way),” Wehbe said, reflecting the desire to unite Lebanese communities after years of divisive politics.

“And you know, some people fight with weapons and some people fight with politics and some people fight with creativity and with bringing communities together in the hardest and most difficult times,” she added.

Comprised of exhibitions, excursions and workshops, the event seeks to shed light on both established and emerging designers, artisans and students from nine universities in Lebanon.

“We’re losing the artisans because it’s impossible to find an artisan under the age of 50,” Alameen explained.

“Because they’re no longer teaching their kids. They’re not making money, And this is the massive problem … That’s why we created the platform,” Alameen said.

The diverse exhibitions include “Totems of the Present & the Absent,” that features work by emerging and established designers from Lebanon and beyond, exploring presence, memory, and legacy.

Meanwhile, hosted in the Roman Baths, a marble design exhibition “Of Water and Stone” reinterprets the ancient site’s rituals of cleansing.

The student-led “Design in Conflict” exhibition sees young creatives explore how strife shapes spaces, while “Rising with Purpose” calls on Lebanese talents under 30 to create thoughtful, relevant objects that address societal, cultural, and environmental needs.

“There is an intensity in this country that drives you … so this grace, this buzz, this energy, and there’s a love for our country that is really, I think, is almost unique to Lebanon,” Alameen said.