RIYADH: Riyadh is set to become the fashion capital of the Najd region.
Yet amid the revolutionary transformations that Saudi Arabia is experiencing, traditional clothing is cherished more than ever and is becoming a source of inspiration and admiration for locals.
In an interview with Arab News, the first Saudi professor to study the heritage of traditional Arab costumes and textiles, Lailah Al-Bassam, recalled the origins and rise of Najdi fashion after the creation of the third Saudi state.
“Clothes and clothing, wherever they are in the world, do not come from nothing: they are inherited from generation to generation and evolve over time. Therefore, Najdi clothing is at the heart of the Arabian Peninsula and has Arabic and Islamic roots,” said Al-Bassam.
The traditional Najdi dress is characterized by its loose silhouettes, ankle-length or floor-length hems, and decorative embroidery and stitching.
“What’s interesting is how universal embroidery stitches are,” Al-Bassam said. “A point born in the heart of Najd, where women had not yet encountered other societies or means of communication, is also found in Mexico or Japan: human beings have this kind of telepathy.”
But the people of Najd had unique stitches that had different names than those in other parts of the world.
Their names mainly come from the shape produced by the stitch: for example, Jehhah, one of the Arabic words for watermelon, which resembles its seeds, or Sleslah, more commonly known as chain stitch.
A popular fabric pattern for women’s clothing in Najdi fashion features gold polka dot circles on a solid base fabric color like black or green. This is called Daq Al-Lairah, the ancient Arabic name for gold coins. Other fabrics or styles refer to cultural or political moments linked to the arrival of radio and television in Saudi Arabia.
Women also wore thobes, similar to robes or robes. These were characterized by their draped silhouette, their sleeves and their bust embroidered with silk. Some were made from green, orange and fuschia fabrics, sewn together into a patchwork-style garment and bearing names such as Almutaffat and Almubaddah.
After the founding of Saudi Arabia in 1932, clothing was traditionally made locally and often by hand. Six years later, however, Al-Bassam said there was a significant shift in what locals considered traditional.
“Due to the discovery of oil (in 1938), women quickly got rid of their cultural heritage and saw it as a symbol of poverty,” she said. “The country quickly opened up to the world and foreigners began to flock and mingle with the local population, women’s education began and imports from abroad arrived, including fashion and clothing in their new forms.”
Years later, traditional heritage saw a resurgence as nostalgia for it grew and national awareness initiatives were organized to promote it. One of the most notable events was the Al-Janadriyah festival, first organized by the National Guard in 1985. It was a celebration of traditions and customs and an ode to Saudi culture .
“One of the elements (at the forefront) was fashion,” Al-Bassam said. “And therefore, we see that the return of heritage has been encouraged by the government sectors who have today really revitalized our heritage and cemented it through the (formation of the) heritage commission under the aegis of the ministry of the culture. This created a place for Saudi fashion.
Traditional clothing would become staple clothing during National Day and Foundation Day celebrations.
Saudi women would not only teach themselves to read, write and cook, but they would also sew, style and cut their own clothes. Al-Bassam said many women made their clothes at home using fashion magazines such as Egypt’s Hawwa’a (Eve) to glean the latest trends.
She said fashion in the region has also reinvented itself thanks to technological advancements in the industry: it has moved from hand-stitched to machine-made, from embroidery to painting, and from homemade to purchased. at the store.
Historians say that abayas, which are now considered formal women’s clothing, were first introduced 80 years ago.
At first they were not common, as women rarely left the house, but were used when going to the market. Little girls wore a traditional headpiece called Al-Bukhnuq when playing outside.
The abaya has taken many forms: it was first worn on the head, then became a shawl-like garment, before being worn on the shoulders in the 1990s, much like today. It was made exclusively in black and embroidery on the sleeves and hem was introduced in the early 2000s.
Jeddah fashionistas have led the way in creating designs with colorful fabrics. They started with soft colors such as gray and navy blue, until brighter colors and patterns were standardized and came to Najd.
The head abaya is still worn by many Saudis today, but it is made with much lighter and softer materials.
As an increasing number of Saudi women now wear modern Western styles, the abaya remains a staple in every wardrobe.
For men, thobes have always been the norm and are mandatory in most schools and workplaces. Only recently have pants and T-shirts appeared in Saudi fashion and local brands.
Men’s thobes have evolved over the years only in terms of their cut, seams and material depending on the seasons, but have generally retained their authenticity. They are considered suitable clothing for all occasions, whether men are at work, on the go or at social gatherings. On formal occasions, it is traditional to accompany thobe with shemagh or ghutra, agal and bisht. Some men also wear cufflinks to enhance their look.
“You still see our traditional clothes because our country was never colonized, whereas in other Arab countries you will see them all wearing costumes,” Al-Bassam said.
“We must retain our traditional clothing as it constitutes an identity derived from our roots and shapes our uniqueness as a nation across the world.”