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Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Futures to Host Live and Virtual Events in New York and Riyadh

Her Highness Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud

Her Highness Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud – Advisor at the Ministry of Culture’s opening address at Fashion Futures 2019 in Riyadh. Photo: Ministry of Culture

Saudi Arabia‘s flagship and first-ever dedicated fashion event, Fashion Futures, is going digital. Supporting the creation of a fashion ecosystem in the country and globally, its first event “Fashion Futures: Moving Towards Sustainability, Diversity & Innovation,” will take place on June 17, 2021. The initiative is taken by the Fashion Commission, which was launched by the Ministry of Culture to lead the Kingdom’s fashion sector, preserve its fashion heritage and promote local designers.

The hybrid-format event will unite leaders in the fashion industry, along with sustainability experts, conservationists, and entrepreneurs, enabling speakers and audiences globally to join through an interactive virtual platform. The program, broadcast live from New York and Riyadh, is in collaboration with Fashinnovation, a global platform focused on sustainability, innovation and entrepreneurship in fashion.

Photo: Ministry of Culture

Some speakers on the panel are Susan Rockefeller, Chair & Trustee of nonprofit ocean conservation organization Oceana, and Rebecca Minkoff, designer and author of upcoming book, Fearless. Accompanying them, Oskar Metsavaht, environmental activist and Amazon guardian, and Abrima Erwiah, co-founder of African fashion house Studio 189, will discuss diversity, Sustainable Development Goals, and innovation in entrepreneurship. Fashinnovation co-founder Jordana Guimaraes will moderate the discussion in New York City, alongside TV presenter and journalist Taghrid Alhowish in Riyadh.

Fashion Commission CEO, Burak Cakmak, says that he is honored to be welcoming some of the world’s greatest business sustainability minds to discuss the most pressing issues faced today. “With no single sector untouched by these issues, virtual platforms like Fashion Futures enable conversations to transgress borders by engaging experts from all over the world in this critical dialogue,” he adds.

Photo: Ministry of Culture

Cakmak believes that Saudi Arabia can be a stellar example of how to build an innovative, sustainable, locally and culturally relevant fashion ecosystem in a country. “Through engaging with innovators across the value chain and partnering to bring education, business development, entrepreneurship and retailing experiences, Saudi Arabia will be able to transform local businesses to achieve the highest standard in their operations and branding that can be celebrated globally,” he says.

In addition to live events, the Fashion Futures platform will offer masterclasses, workshops and training opportunities.

Photo: Ministry of Culture

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