JEDDAH – Saudi Arabia is the only place in the world that has opened its doors to building from scratch in the fashion industry, Burak Kakmak, CEO of the country’s Fashion Commission, told the Saudi Gazette.
The Fashion Commission on Wednesday announced the strategy to develop the sector in the Kingdom of Riyadh.
Speaking to Saudi newspaper at the event, Kakmak said that after 22 years in the fashion sector, he is honored to be the CEO of the commission and help build the sector in the country.
In the year In 2021, Saudi Arabia announced the appointment of Kakmaq as the CEO of the Fashion Commission, one of the 11 cultural bodies established by the Ministry of Culture to manage the Saudi cultural sector.
Cacmak pointed out that the main focus is on establishing infrastructure as a research center and creating a sustainable way to show the rest of the world how the fashion system should go. “Brand building is the easiest part,” he said.
Saudi Fashion Week
When asked about Saudi Fashion Week, Kakmaq said the first step was to build a fashion association, a non-profit body representing all local brands and designers, similar to other places like London, Paris and New York. Fashion Week is run by the associations of the brands themselves.
“We would love to see the brands decide what is needed in the country and all of us, including the government, are interested in putting together a fashion week,” said Kacmak.
He added, “We’re crossing our fingers and we’re excited to support the unions as they decide how they want to proceed, and we want to see the fashion unions take the lead.”
They announced that they are building a data center that will start early next year. In particular, it provides information about the scope and evolution of the market.
Abaya comes first
“There’s no question that everyone in Saudi Arabia thinks of the abaya first!” Kacmak said when asked about the most sought-after fashion segment in Saudi Arabia. Also, jewelry has a very strong place in people’s lives, but until now the main collection is abaya.
The commission said it has signed a partnership with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to create a Materials Center of Excellence. This means looking at the best materials used in fashion with minimal impact on the environment.
Cacmak said that this space will take creative experts and startups focused on materials research and help them develop that research to prototypes and materials that can be used not only in the fashion sector, but in all other creative sectors. .
“We want to see that all the elements of fashion value are available in the country,” Kakmak said when asked if there will be fashion runways in the kingdom where Saudi models who are already present in international fashion shows will participate. .
He added that this should be driven by the private sector and there are generally agencies working with fashion houses to create this. “I think we expect there will be some private sector initiatives that want to build agencies that work in Saudi.”
The Ministry of Culture is currently offering scholarships to both men and women to study fashion at top universities around the world, Kakmak said. Both men and women from Saudi Arabia can enroll in many universities and design schools. To showcase Saudi innovation to the world and build brands to bring back to the Kingdom and grow the sector.
Kakmak has confirmed that they do not see gender in creativity. “Creativity has no limits, so it’s the individual who wants to be at the center,” he said.
In the Saudi 100 Brands program, the population is more than 80% female and about 20% male, meaning both genders have a place, he said. He said the new two categories to be included in the second Saudi 100 Brands program will be perfume and footwear.
“It’s amazing to see so many women doing fashion because the reality in the rest of the world is exactly the opposite. So Saudi Arabia is leading female designers, creating their own businesses and working as creative directors,” he said. “This is an example that we should share with the rest of the world,” he said.
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