On a wonderful Friday, Saudi Arabia left the world shocked with its first-ever swimsuit vogue present. No marvel, it is a daring stride in a nation the place girls had been as soon as mandated to don body-covering abaya robes lower than ten years in the past. The present was a spotlight of the second day of the inaugural Red Sea Fashion Week on the St Regis Red Sea Resort, on the Saudi Arabia’s western coast.
The poolside spectacle showcased the swimsuit assortment of principally one-piece fits in vibrant colours of crimson, beige, and blue. In a uncommon sight, most fashions sported naked shoulders, and some even flaunted partially seen midriffs. “Yes, this country is steeped in conservatism, but we aimed to present elegant swimsuits that embody the Arab world,” the designer Yasmina Qanzal stated.
“Arriving here, we realized that a swimsuit fashion show in Saudi Arabia is a momentous occasion, marking the first time such an event has taken place,” she stated, expressing her satisfaction in being a part of this historic occasion.
Prince Mohammed, who grew to become first in line to the throne in 2017, has initiated a collection of dramatic social reforms aimed toward softening Saudi Arabia’s conservative picture, rooted in its historic advocacy of a purist type of Islam generally known as Wahhabism.
These transformative modifications have included sidelining the stick-wielding spiritual police who used to herd males out of malls for prayer, reintroducing cinemas, and organizing mixed-gender music festivals. These modifications have been accompanied by elevated repression focusing on dissent, together with from conservative clerics who may oppose such strikes.
