A historic moment was witnessed in Saudi Arabia as it held its first-ever fashion show showcasing swimsuit models on Friday. This is a big change in Saudi Arabia's fashion industry, as less than ten years ago, women were restricted from wearing swimsuits and had to wear abaya robes that covered their whole body.
According to AFP reports, the poolside fashion event showcased designer Yasmina Qanzal's collection from Morocco. The collection mostly consisted of red, beige and blue swimsuits.
Several models appeared in swimsuits that exposed their shoulders and some parts of their stomachs.
Qanzal told AFP, "It's true that this country is very conservative but we tried to show elegant swimsuits which represent the Arab world".
She further added, "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 event".
The event took place during the Red Sea Fashion Week's second day at the St. Regis Sea Resort. It is a part of Red Sea Global, a significant project overseen by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman under Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 social and economic reform plan.
Since his position as first in line to the throne in 2017, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has introduced social reform plans in Saudi Arabia to change its strict image.
These reforms include reducing the authority of religious police, who earlier enforced prayer times in public places, allowing the reopening of cinemas, and further organising mixed-gender music festivals. These reform plans and changes have led to a crackdown on people with disagreements, especially conservative religious leaders who might not like the change.
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Image courtesy: Shafek Koreshe | X
As per AFP, a Syrian fashion influencer, Shouq Mohammed, who also attended the swimsuit fashion show, revealed that the event was not surprising as Saudi Arabia has been trying to put efforts into opening up to the world and further expanding its fashion and tourism industries.
According to the official Saudi Fashion Commission's reports last year, the fashion industry contributed to Saudi Arabia's economy, generating $12.5 billion in 2022. Further, it gave employment to over 230,000 people.
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