Riyadh Fashion Week 2026 Opens Applications for Designers
Riyadh Fashion Week 2026 runs October 15–20. Explore designer applications, eligibility criteria, deadlines and what to expect.
Riyadh Fashion Week 2026 is officially taking shape, with applications now open for designers and fashion brands looking to participate in the event’s fourth edition. The open call invites designers working across haute couture, womenswear, menswear and streetwear, with submissions closing on September 1, 2026. The event itself is scheduled to take place from October 15 to 20, 2026, bringing the fashion industry back to the capital for six days of shows, presentations and industry activity.
Organised by Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission under the Ministry of Culture, Riyadh Fashion Week is the Kingdom’s official fashion week and has been held annually in the capital since 2023. The 2026 edition will continue that development while creating another opportunity for emerging and established designers to put their work in front of buyers, media, industry leaders and a global audience.
Applications Open for Riyadh Fashion Week 2026
Designers interested in joining this year’s programme can currently apply through the official Riyadh Fashion Week website.
The call covers four major categories:
- Haute couture
- Womenswear
- Menswear
- Streetwear
The 2026 open call for Riyadh Fashion Week is not limited to brands based in Saudi Arabia. Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, has invited fashion brands from Saudi Arabia, the region and around the world to apply. Participation opportunities also extend beyond runway shows, with applications open across fashion shows, presentations, showrooms and brand activations.
Designer Eligibility & Submission Criteria
According to the official Riyadh Fashion Week 2026 brand-registration requirements, applicants should meet several conditions:
- Brand Eligibility: The designer's brand must be legally registered with a valid commercial registration and meet the stated minimum two-year requirement.
- Original Collection: Designers must provide at least 25 looks that have not previously been presented at another fashion week or fashion-related event.
- Creative Submission: Applications must include a collection mood board outlining the overall creative concept, together with at least eight look sketches representing the proposed collection.
- Accessories and Styling: Designers are responsible for supplying the jewelry, accessories and related items required to complete their presented looks.
- Cultural Regulations: Participating designers must comply with applicable requirements under the Ministry of Culture's Abde'a cultural licensing and permitting framework
Riyadh Fashion Week Continues to Grow
The scale of the event has changed considerably since its first edition. Across its first three editions, Riyadh Fashion Week featured more than 100 participating brands and attracted approximately 27,000 visitors, according to figures released by Saudi Arabia’s Fashion Commission. The platform has also evolved beyond traditional runway shows.
The 2025 edition included more than 25 fashion shows, 10 designer presentations, exhibitions and other fashion experiences. Buyers, retailers, media representatives and industry professionals were brought together alongside designers, positioning the event as both a creative showcase and a place for commercial connections.
For designers applying in 2026, this wider ecosystem may be one of the biggest reasons to participate. A runway presentation can create visibility, but the growing presence of buyers, partners and international fashion figures gives designers an opportunity to build relationships beyond the show itself.
From Saudi Platform to International Fashion Week
The 2025 edition marked a turning point, becoming the first Riyadh Fashion Week to formally open its schedule to international brands. Vivienne Westwood presented its first fashion show in the Middle East during Riyadh Fashion Week 2025. The house also collaborated with Saudi cultural organisation Art of Heritage on pieces featuring embroidery inspired by craftsmanship from different regions of Saudi Arabia.
Stella McCartney later closed the event with her first presentation in Riyadh. Their participation placed local designers on a schedule alongside internationally recognised fashion names and raised the global profile of fashion week in Riyadh. For the 2026 applicants, that also means the standard surrounding the event continues to rise. Designers are no longer applying to a newly established local fashion event. They are entering a platform that is becoming increasingly connected to the international fashion calendar.
“By uniting industry professionals from around the world, Riyadh Fashion Week aims to inspire future generations and establish Saudi Arabia as a dynamic force in the global fashion landscape.”
— Burak Cakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission
Part of a Bigger Fashion Industry
The importance of Riyadh Fashion Week also extends beyond the event itself. Saudi Arabia has been investing in developing fashion as a creative and economic sector, with the Fashion Commission supporting designers, education, entrepreneurship, international partnerships and access to new markets.
Recent industry estimates have valued Saudi Arabia’s fashion market at approximately $32 billion in 2024, with projections suggesting it could reach around $40 billion by 2029. The sector was also projected to account for around 2.6% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP and 340,000 jobs, showing why platforms such as Riyadh Fashion Week increasingly carry economic as well as cultural significance.
Riyadh Fashion Week increasingly acts as a visible meeting point for this growing ecosystem. It gives Saudi designers a platform to present their work at home while giving international brands, buyers and fashion professionals another reason to engage directly with the market.
What Happens Next?
The first major deadline is September 1, 2026, when designer submissions close. After that, attention will turn to the selected brands, the official Riyadh Fashion Week venue, the show calendar and any international designers joining the fourth edition. With Riyadh Fashion Week 2026 taking place from October 15 to 20, the open call marks the beginning of the next chapter for an event that has expanded quickly in just three years.
For designers, it is a chance to become part of that growth. For the wider industry, it is another sign that fashion week in Riyadh is developing into a more established meeting point between Saudi creativity and the global fashion industry.
