The Woman Behind the Craft
Elegance. Presence. Legacy. In the world of couture, Fatima "Tima Abid" Althaqafi doesn’t follow the conversation, she shapes it. From her studio in Jeddah to the runways of Paris, Tima Abid transforms Saudi heritage into refined, world-class couture. Her work doesn’t whisper. It commands attention through craftsmanship and culture.
Named Designer of the Year, honored internationally, and often compared to Chanel, Tima receives the recognition with gratitude but stays rooted in her own path. Her style, her vision, and her story are shaped by something deeper: rooted design and feminine strength
From Private Clients to Global Couture
Like many Saudi designers of her generation, Tima Abid started small. Creating custom, made-to-measure pieces for a loyal circle of women in Jeddah. But even then, her approach felt different.
Today, that vision has come full circle. Now part of the 100 Saudi Brands initiative, Tima’s pieces are presented with museum lighting and gallery-style placards. What began as personal couture has become a cultural statement.
A glimpse into Tima Abid’s signature style. Sculpted cuts, flowing silhouettes, and couture craftsmanship rooted in Saudi elegance.
A Landmark Moment in Paris
In 2020, Tima Abid made history as one of the first Saudi designers to present at Paris Haute Couture Week. Her 50-piece collection, shown at the Four Seasons Hotel George V, wasn’t just fashion. It was cultural diplomacy. Traditional Saudi handwork met sweeping modern silhouettes. Reviewers didn’t just applaud the gowns. They read them.
“The moment kept building within me, a pressing desire for the world to know who we are and for us to have our anticipated place at the global fashion table.”
— Tima Abid to Harper’s Bazaar Arabia. A reminder that identity can be couture’s strongest statement
Paris debut looks from Tima Abid’s couture show, featuring feathered ombré gowns, sculpted metallic folds, and refined black elegance.
Craft as Identity
Tima’s aesthetic is more than beautiful. It’s rooted. She incorporates naqda embroidery, sadu weaving, and fabrics that echo the textures of Saudi landscapes. Her color palettes range from desert neutrals to deep jewel tones, each collection telling a story that feels both ancient and new.
Her silhouettes are structured but fluid. It’s asymmetrical draping, architectural tailoring, and layered organza crafted to move with intention. Every fold carries meaning. Every stitch has weight.
“As I delved deeper into the world of fashion, I discovered the richness of our identity and the world’s lack of knowledge about us. This identity became one of the greatest motivators for me to transform my art into a craft and a Saudi industry,”
Runway as Emotion
Her shows aren’t just presentations. They’re emotional arcs. At Riyadh Fashion Week, her Light and Darkness collection explored contrast through matte velvets and metallics. At Red Sea Fashion Week, chiffon flowed like waves, with mother-of-pearl detailing and hand-dyed silks bringing the sea to life.
She uses couture techniques, French lace, tulle, crystal embellishment, to explore themes like rebirth, resilience, and transition. Her fashion isn’t seasonal. It’s symbolic.
Prestige & Recognition
Tima Abid’s name has become synonymous with excellence in Arab couture and the industry has taken notice. In 2024, she was named Designer of the Year at Saudi Arabia’s inaugural Fashion Awards, held during the WWD Global Fashion Summit in partnership with the Fashion Commission and Chalhoub Group. The same year, she was honored by EMIGALA 2025 as a Fashion Innovator, applauded for her creative leadership and cultural storytelling.
Tima Abid accepts the Fashion Innovator Award at the 2025 EMIGALA in Dubai.
She has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar Arabia for her empathetic, Saudi-rooted approach, and dubbed the “Coco Chanel of the Arabs” by the French press, a comparison she respectfully acknowledges, while proudly redefining couture through her own Saudi lens.
What Makes Her Path Distinct?
- Rooted, not relocated: Tima built global credibility from Jeddah—not Paris, not Milan.
- Deliberate over fast: Her Paris debut came nearly 20 years into her career, proof that lasting impact takes time.
- Industry-shaping: She designed before a Saudi fashion industry even existed!
Fashion as Empowerment
Tima’s designs aren’t just garments. They’re statements. Capes, sculpted bodices, voluminous gowns. They're made for women who walk with presence. Her collections consistently reflect themes of strength, self-discovery, and inner light. Fashion not just for beauty, but for becoming.
Her designs have been worn by women who embody that spirit. Georgina Rodríguez at the Red Sea Film Festival, Egyptian actress Tara Emad, Saudi icon Lojain Omran, and regional stars including Gulf royals, Emirati-Yemeni singer Balqees Fathi, and Thai actress Davika Hoorne.
Couture Aligned with Vision 2030
Her brand doesn’t just celebrate Saudi culture. It expands it. By building a globally recognized brand from Saudi soil, she embodies the Vision 2030 focus on diversifying the economy and empowering local creative industries. Her fashion isn’t just personal expression. It’s cultural storytelling. She elevates Saudi heritage and identity through couture, contributing to the broader national narrative.
What This Means for the Creative Eye
For designers watching closely, Tima Abid’s work is a study in building slow, staying rooted, and leading with substance. Here’s what her journey offers:
- Build from your base. Global doesn’t mean distant. Start where you are and honor it.
- Let heritage guide your choices. Use traditional craft to inspire new forms.
- Elevate the technical. Beauty resonates deeper when it’s backed by skill.
- Grow deliberately. Progress is more powerful when it’s paced with purpose.
- Design with emotional clarity. Fashion can carry feeling. Let it speak.
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