Vivienne Westwood made history Thursday night as the first international house to participate in Riyadh Fashion Week, also unveiling five gowns bearing the intricate embroideries of Saudi artisans, part of an unprecedented collaboration.
The heirloom-like patina of their gilded handiwork stood out amid the tamer looks from Westwood’s boudoir-inspired spring 2026 collection, and the archival designs that stalked the vast open-air runway, erected in the middle of a palm grove.
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It was a lively and diverse display; his-and-hers gold pinstripe tailoring one minute, milk-maiden dresses the next. All of the main brand codes from the incendiary British founder were there, including tartan patterns, a mini-crini, references to historical costumes and sultry corset dresses, but minus punk styling and saucier elements like codpieces.
There were bursts of applause when the looks done in collaboration with Art of Heritage appeared, the first a draped, grass-green gown with a flowing skirt and structured bodice glimmering with antique gold threads in geometric arrangements.
The capsule collection seemed to encapsulate the global ambitions of Saudi Arabia’s burgeoning fashion industry, and the spirit of cultural exchange gripping a rapidly liberalizing kingdom.
It was the Westwood house that wished to connect its Riyadh showing to the local culture, yielding a collaboration with Art of Heritage, a cultural institution dedicated to safeguarding Saudi Arabia‘s legacy of craftsmanship.
“To have an international couture brand that’s modern, forward-thinking and slightly rebellious juxtaposed against our traditional culture, I thought that was something really exciting. There’s a tension there,” Princess Nourah bint Mohammed Al Faisal, chief executive officer of Art of Heritage, told WWD before the show. “There’s a long history of preservation of heritage, passing on of techniques, protection of crafts, trying to do a lot of training and education.”
Al Faisal said Westwood sent its artisans dress patterns and some fabrics, and gave them carte blanche to adorn them with a range of local embroidery techniques employing antique metals, crystals — and cotton and silk threads, too.
“It was a team of 25 people, and they were working day and night, including weekends,” she said. “But they were just so excited by the whole project, by the idea of collaborating with an international brand, and by the idea of having their work showcased at an event like this.”
In her view, the project yielded “mutual respect and understanding” — and opened a door to further exchange and education.
“The more we can get world-class brands coming here and sharing that knowledge, the better,” Al Faisal said. “We have a lot of talent, but we don’t have a lot of the techniques and the technical skill, and the more we can learn, the better.”
Art of Heritage grew out of an NGO and has been operating for about 40 years, and is currently focused on evolving Saudi Arabia’s craft legacy via its young, up-for-it population.
“We have designers who are rediscovering their heritage, and my job is to first give them the practical knowledge and the depth of knowledge so that they actually understand that heritage, but then to give them the freedom to evolve it into something new,” Al Faisal said. “It’s not just about the embroidery. It’s about different patterns.…We have 13 different regions in Saudi, and each one has myriad patterns that come from architecture, from embroidery, from culture, from everything. How do you take those, those colors, those references, and then turn them into a new representation?
“We’re trying to create our creative economy,” she said.
Carlo D’Amario, chief executive officer of Vivienne Westwood, said his teams “discovered a shared commitment to preserving cultural heritage, promoting female empowerment, and celebrating artisanal quality.”
“This collaboration has been an opportunity to return to the origins of fashion: creativity and craftsmanship, not just marketing,” he added. “We strongly believe that fashion should be an excuse to do other things: it must go beyond aesthetics, and it must be a connection between cultures.”
The British fashion house plans to archive the pieces, knowing they have the potential to be shown in museum exhibitions. D’Amario noted “they will also be available through our couture service, allowing the conversation to continue through bespoke orders.”
Launch Gallery: Vivienne Westwood x Art of Heritage Spring 2026 at Riyadh Fashion Week
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