During the fashion sector meeting at the Asharqia Chamber.
Specialist: The fashion sector in the Saudi market has a size of 75 billion Saudi Riyals
Asharqia Chamber, represented by the Council of Business Women, held a meeting on the evening of Monday, September 18, 2023, for the design and fashion sector, as part of the "Fashion Initiative," one of the chamber's initiatives aimed at developing and supporting the fashion sector.
Dr. Yassri Al-Muzoughi, the President of the Royal University for Girls in the Kingdom of Bahrain, spoke during the meeting, which was held at the main headquarters and attended by a member of the chamber's board, Agareed bint Ehsan Abdul Jawad. She emphasized the importance of continuous education in honing talent and its impact on the development of the fashion sector, noting that the sector has Saudi designers who offer new and distinctive ideas that enrich this field.
Al-Muzoughi explained that the size of the fashion sector in the Saudi market is estimated at 75 billion Saudi Riyals, with an annual growth rate of 3 percent. She pointed out that the market employs 230,000 people, 66 percent of whom are women.
She also stated that the fashion sector is witnessing significant competition, especially in the Gulf region. She emphasized that the Saudi market faces internal competition among Saudi male and female designers, and it also faces competition from counterparts in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries. She stressed that staying ahead requires innovative and distinctive ideas and continuous experimentation.
Al-Muzoughi highlighted the importance of understanding other cultures and benefiting from global experiences that contribute to enriching the designer's experience. She noted that men today are more interested in presenting a striking and modern appearance. They are more careful and attached to their traditional clothes, but they are also eager for modern clothing and fashion trends. This represents a new challenge and an enticing investment.
Furthermore, Al-Muzoughi pointed out that deepening one's involvement in the field of fashion opens multiple doors for designers. Investment does not stop at designing daily and occasional clothing, but it extends to designing clothing for theater and cinema, which is witnessing significant interest in Saudi Arabia due to the country's openness to the world and the hosting of film festivals and theatrical events that require extensive production of specialized clothing.
She also emphasized that the Saudi market is rich in talented Saudi designers, indicating that talent is essential in the fashion sector, but it needs study, continuous learning about what is new, and effective marketing to convey their ideas to others.
Al-Muzoughi highlighted the importance of focusing on the new global trend towards investing in fashion that uses natural and environmentally friendly materials to enable their reuse multiple times. She noted that this has become a separate and promising specialization for designers and producing companies.
