It’s a country where women are expected to dress modestly at all times.
But in a historic turn of events, Saudi Arabia‘s Red Sea Fashion Week welcomed swimwear-clad models to the runway last Friday.
It marks a dramatic shift for the nation where a head covering and Abaya – a robe-like dress worn by some Muslim women – was compulsory up until 2019.
Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has sought to reform women’s rights in Saudi Arabia in recent times, making the black cloak optional along with several other progressive rulings, including lifting a ban on women driving in 2018.
Last week, Moroccan brand, eau swimwear, tested the waters by the poolside of the St Regis hotel in the Ummahat Islands.
And as women strutted down the catwalk in one-piece swimsuits, off the shoulder bikini tops, and thigh-high split sarongs, the audience reaction appeared entirely positive.
The brand’s swimwear debut at Red Sea Fashion Week saw the work of Yasmnia Quanzal on display.
Designs included a crimson cut-out costume revealing the model’s midriff, a low cut one-piece, and a bold bandeau swimsuit.
Yasmina told AFP: ‘It’s true that this country is very conservative but we tried to show elegant swimsuits which represent the Arab world.’
‘When we came here, we understood that a swimsuit fashion show in Saudi Arabia is a historic moment, because it is the first time to have such [an] event,’ she said, adding it was ‘an honour’ to be involved.
Hailing from Morocco, the swimwear brand prides itself for ‘bold designs’, ‘versatility’, and ‘premium quality’.
The brand’s website reads: ‘Inspired by water, for water. eau swimwear stands out for its bold designs, premium quality, and steadfast commitment to setting the bar; locally, regionally, globally.
‘Inspired by water, for being in, out, and around water. eau preaches versatility. Adaptability. Beachside, day, night, and everything in between.
‘From inception to execution, eau swimwear prides itself on its loyalty to the Egyptian economy and bolstering its rich entrepreneurial ecosystem, that’s why eau is made in Egypt, by Egyptian hands.’
The show took place on the second day of the inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week at the St Regis Red Sea Resort, situated off Saudi Arabia’s western coast.
The resort is part of Red Sea Global, one of the so-called giga-projects at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 social and economic reform programme overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Prince Mohammed, who became first in line to the throne in 2017, has initiated a series of dramatic social reforms in a bid to soften Saudi Arabia’s austere image stemming from its historical championing of a purist form of Islam known as Wahhabism.
Those changes have included sidelining religious police who used to chase men out of malls to pray, re-introducing cinemas and organising mixed-gender music festivals.
Shouq Mohammed, a Syrian fashion influencer who attended Friday’s show, said it was not surprising given Saudi Arabia’s attempt to open up to the world and grow its fashion and tourism sectors.
The fashion industry in 2022 accounted for $12.5 billion, or 1.4 per cent of national GDP, and employed 230,000 people, according to a report published last year by the official Saudi Fashion Commission.
‘It’s the first time to have a swimsuit fashion show in Saudi Arabia, but why not? Seriously, why not?’ Mohammed said. He added: ‘It’s possible and we have it here.’
Raphael Simacourbe, a French influencer who also attended on Friday, said there was nothing risque to his eyes but in the Saudi context it was a major achievement.
‘That’s very brave from them to do that today, so I am very happy to be part of it,’ he said.