Saudi Arabian fashion on the Portugal Fashion catwalk

The Saudi creations that appeared on the Portugal Fashion catwalk reflect a style that bears little resemblance to the images that many Westerners have of Saudi Arabia, with women in black robes and veils covering their faces . This new image is in line with the narrative that Saudi authorities have been trying to promote for some years now, by announcing new rights. In 2018, for example, women were allowed to drive. A year later, women over the age of 21 were allowed to obtain a passport and travel alone. Since 2021, women have been able to travel to Mecca without a male guardian, as long as they are traveling with a group of other women. However, the country still follows strict religious codes and remains under public scrutiny. As recently as 2025, an investigation by The Guardian found reports of women being held in foster homes , under torture-like conditions, for “crimes” such as disobeying their husbands.

In a 2018 interview with 60 Minutes , Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud stressed that traditional clothing—the abaya and the veil that covers the hair— is not mandatory . The leader stressed that both men and women should dress “decently and respectably” in accordance with religious norms, but that Saudi women themselves are responsible for choosing what to wear . The 2019 decency law requires “modest” dress for both sexes, specifying “loose” clothing that covers the elbows and heels.

Given the heat in Porto, the women in the Saudi delegation rarely wore veils to cover their hair — only during the parades, when they were representing the association. In terms of clothing, they showed their own style, classic and elegant , opting for pieces such as long, full skirts, shirts with closed collars or linen gowns with loose sleeves combined with high-waisted trousers .

It is about this “modest” clothing that Lolwah Alshaqha talks to Observador, when asked about how people dress in the country and how much fashion is present within the Saudi cultural context. “We have differences in clothing between men and women. If you ever go to Riyadh, you will see women and men dressing modestly . The general view is: men wearing a long white dress, because of the heat, and with a red headscarf that is worn formally. For us women, we have the abaya, which is similar to a kimono in terms of length and width, and is very comfortable. It is also usually light because of the heat, and then we have the headscarf. Wearing it is optional , but this is Saudi fashion, in addition to being comfortable and matching our climate. And so it is possible to find many styles and colors for this kimono . It is interesting, there is a large market focused on these pieces — but of course wearing it is optional, as long as the modest style is maintained. It is a cultural issue”, she explains. According to the CEO of the Saudi Fashion Association, traditional clothing is reserved for formal occasions, such as work or official dinners. “Outside of that, everyone can represent their own style in whatever way they want, ” she says, giving examples of family gatherings or concerts . Lolwah also mentions the street style seen, for example, in the Awaken collection. “It’s the Saudi style. If you go to Riyadh, you’ll see a lot of men wearing these clothes. It’s not strange for us, but we have a lot of options.”

The CEO of the Fashion Association also states that these similarities allow for expanding markets, whether for a Saudi designer to sell abroad, or for an international designer to enter the Saudi market. “If you are a designer from Indonesia, for example, you can sell to the Saudi market. If you are an American designer, you can sell to the Saudi market. We have a wide variety of categories, from traditional to modern. We can find designers who make only traditional pieces and also those who create innovative styles. And we can also find a mix of traditional with a style, let's say, more Western. Some people say we have differences, but I see similarities . In the first show (Marques'Almeida) I saw many pieces that could be sold in Saudi Arabia and would be popular. Of course, with some adjustments, or even used as resortwear or with other combinations.”

With their sights set on themselves, the two designers chosen to represent the country in Portugal presented collections inspired by regions of Saudi Arabia that have been heavily promoted for international luxury tourism . AlUla and the Red Sea have been two areas to which Cristiano Ronaldo takes his family on vacation and posts on social media in partnership with the Saudi government, for example. The participation of the Arab delegation seems to reinforce the idea that Saudi Arabia can be modern, a good business partner and is progressing when it comes to women's rights. The next steps in the partnership with Portugal Fashion may determine whether any of these premises come to fruition.