Landscape of NEOM photographed by Justin Minns
This year’s Vogue Fashion Prize is powered by Saudi Arabia’s forward-thinking giga-project, NEOM. This ambitious global hub is being built on the vision of a sustainable future for a diverse international community. It will incorporate the natural beauty of Saudi Arabia’s north-western Red Sea region with cutting-edge architecture and sustainable resources, to create cities, ports, and enterprise zones. Providing a model for green work, living, and tourism, by 2030 more than a million citizens will be able to call NEOM home. Setting standards in community health, environmental protection, and optimum use of clean technology, NEOM will be unconstrained by outdated economic and social systems; its community free to forge a new path.
As part of the 2020Vogue Fashion Prize, finalists will participate in the NEOM Design Challenge. They are tasked with creating three new sustainable designs, inspired by the mission, ethos, and unique landscapes of NEOM. Here, the finalists give us an insight into how they plan to capture the spirit of NEOM in their designs:
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Gary Cummins
Karim Adduchi
“NEOM’S landscapes don’t just inspire me aesthetically but also because it’s a symbol of hope and prosperity and a source of inspiration to others. My goal is to inspire others like NEOM’s landscapes to inspire me. I’m amazed by the ambitious vision and balance of innovation and sustainability. It’s a goal starting from zero, in harmony with the resources of nature. It will inspire the rest of the world and be an example of what the future needs to be. It’s all about sustaining and using resources to create our future from our heritage cultures, to reshape society.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Callie Chee
Yousef Akbar
“What I’ve found inspiring about NEOM is how tradition and futurism are intertwined in its technological projects. These are some of the elements I’m looking at for my designs, and I’ll translate them through construction lines, silhouettes, and shapes of the garment. I am deeply passionate about sustainability and ethics. They motivate me to conquer the constant challenge of continuing to do better for our planet. We play a little part in a big industry that has so much impact on the world and I would like to set an example that inspires people to join this movement – the same as one of the key messages of NEOM. The sheer ambition and scale of what they are trying to do is inspirational, and they are setting an example for the whole of mankind.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Marc Le Cornu
Sarah and Siham Albinali: Lurline
“NEOM seems limitless. It feels like it is a playground for innovation. The scenic mountainous landscapes, water, sand… NEOM has so much to be inspired by and to take in. It will be fun exploring and mixing these with Lurline’s silhouettes. Learning about the different sectors and expansion plans, all the while remaining conscious of the environment and sustainability, is very promising. This is something we will not only emulate for this challenge but also our future collections.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Jean Marie Del Moral
Mohamed Benchellal: Benchellal
“NEOM is a spectacular project – I’m very inspired by the natural world so it’s totally up my alley. Protecting nature and the three Rs – reduce, reuse, and recycle – are the most important topics of all, so I’ll be working with that as the main theme. I’ve got my hands on a substantial amount of aprons that were being used for the bar staff of a festival but were due to be trashed because of Covid-19 cancellations. So I’ll use that for my main fabric for this challenge, in a beautiful contrast with nature and the colors of NEOM.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Renee Capozzola
Jude Benhalim
“There is so much about NEOM that inspires me: the earthy colors, the huge landscapes and vast spaces, the mountainous textures, and small details like corals and shells. What fascinates me most and I hope to translate into my designs is the idea that NEOM will amalgamate a futuristic aesthetic that is in harmony with conserving nature. I feel extremely proud to learn that a project of this sort is being implemented in the Arab world, and that a whole city expected to be home to a million residents in 2030 is being built with the core concept of sustainability is something that is incredibly impressive.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Aaron Jenkin
Harith Hashim: Harithand
“NEOM is an ambitious project that’s needed in the Middle East. A group of believers are building a new civilization for dreamers who want a better future for humanity. It’s an opportunity to show the world how future cities can function in a way that brings out the best in technology. NEOM is a new opportunity for designers, making us think more about sustainability and how things should be for a better future. I am really inspired by its colors, especially the sea and the texture of the sand.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Gary Cummins
Lama Jouni
“I want to design something that is practical, innovative, and coherent. I envision an earthy color palette with bold cuts and comfortable yet daring silhouettes. As a brand striving to become fully sustainable, I believe a project like NEOM will help the industry align with what our planet currently needs. NEOM is progressive, authentic, and is the way to the future.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Ben Thouard
Ilyes Ouali
“I think the NEOM landscapes are absolutely fascinating and I will definitely introduce them in a contemporary way to my designs for the challenge. The push for a more sustainable product is a step towards a better future, so I will be taking the time to rethink and come out with innovative visions for my designs. I think NEOM is such a unique and incredible project that will make a huge change in KSA, and will open new doors to technology in the finest and most sustainable way that humans can imagine.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed Aaron Jenkin
Eric Mathieu Ritter: Emergency Room
“Sustainability is what Emergency Room does. We started from an urgent need to do things differently, specifically when it comes to clothes. So we have always been interested in sustainability, consuming better, and how we can be more mindful in our practices. It was really exciting to learn that in NEOM there’s a whole city that will be talking and thinking about these matters not only when it comes to fashion but also food, lifestyle, and a way of living.”
Landscape of NEOM photographed by Marc Le Cornu
Ibrahim Shebani: Born in Exile
“NEOM’s landscape for me, as a fashion designer from Libya, is very similar to my roots. Mountain, desert, sea, warmth… All quintessential of the Born in Exile brand. I understand the effect of fashion on our environment, and the need to be more careful, so I’ve been doing a lot of research to make my designs for this challenge as sustainable and ethical as possible. I’m incorporating the principles of NEOM into the design – to understand, to protect, to enhance, to sustain, and to inspire. But the most important thing for me to include is NEOM’s focus on heritage because this is the core foundation of Born in Exile and a value that we both share.”
Read Next: Meet The Finalists of the 2020 Vogue Fashion Prize, Powered by NEOM
