PARIS: Riyadh Air, Saudi Arabia’s new world-class airline and fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF), in collaboration with the Saudi fashion designer Ashi, founder of Parisian couture house ASHI Studio, has unveiled its first-ever fashion collection, during Haute Couture Week in Paris.
The airline took to the runway in style showcasing its stunning new lifestyle collection for its frontline team members in the fashion capital of the world. The exclusive fashion line is made up of dozens of male and female looks, of which 15 were revealed during the most prestigious fashion week of the year. The luxury Riyadh Air concepts unveiled in Paris comprised of timeless cashmere outerwear, dresses and trousers made of fine wools, custom leather footwear, amethyst earrings, and iconic pillbox hats, all of which are inspired by 1950s airline fashion, widely considered as the ‘golden age’ in aviation, but with bold, modern styling for a future-forward brand.
The reveal evening was attended by distinguished guests from near and far which included senior stakeholders, diplomats and celebrities that all attended to be a part of the historic moment in Paris. Riyadh Air and Lucid, maker of the world’s most advanced electric vehicles, also took the opportunity during Haute Couture Week in Paris to reaffirm their shared commitment to sustainable transport and eco-friendly practices. Lucid and Riyadh Air have an innovative partnership with a shared vision for the future of sustainable transportation exploring the collaboration across co-marketing, commercial, and operational streams for guests.
For the new fashion line, Ashi has cultivated completely new color tones for the looks, including the chic and elegant Electric Amethyst for womenswear, and Dark Amethyst for menswear, of which the full collection is scheduled for launch early next year. The unique amethyst shades pay homage to Saudi Arabia’s stunning lavender fields and are rooted within Riyadh Air’s primary color. The Saudi fashion designer took inspiration from the Riyadh Air aircraft livery to deliver completely bespoke colors for the new timeless collection. They were also carefully designed to complement the cabin interiors which will be revealed later this year.
Ten womenswear looks were showcased on the Paris runway, each of which were complemented by accessories such as trademark shoes and hats. Five menswear looks were also unveiled during the first-of-its-kind Haute Couture Week showcase.
The fashion collection, to be worn by Riyadh Air cabin crew, pilots, concierges, and airport agents, can be changed seasonally, keeping the looks fresh all year round.
Ashi cleverly included distinctive Riyadh Air elements within the concepts, such as the iconic canopy twist found in the Riyadh Air brand, and incorporated them in the lines, shadows and the silhouettes of the new fashion line. The coats and jackets worn at the Paris launch also include the same modern lines as seen on the Riyadh Air logo.
Riyadh Air CEO Tony Douglas said: “This has been a landmark occasion for Riyadh Air, and it shows just how far we’ve come in a short space of time. For a start-up airline to be showcasing our new fashion collection during Haute Couture Week in Paris shows what an impact Riyadh Air is having globally. Working with Ashi on these designs has been a tremendous experience for all of us and we’re all very proud to be able to show off the creations and the full range early next year. We have no doubt that the fashion line will soon be recognizable to people all over the world, and that the designs will leave a lasting impression on our guests by the proud team members that wear them. When you get up close to the garments you can see the level of detail and intricacy that Ashi has included, which is in complete alignment of our values and attention to detail at Riyadh Air.”
Ashi, Founder and Creative Director of ASHI STUDIO said: “Designing for the new national airline from Saudi Arabia has had a big impact on me knowing that we are making a mark in history. Fashion and aviation have seen collaborations in the past, but its pinnacle was over 50 years ago and I was keen to be inspired by that time. This is an amazing collaboration where fashion is helping to make an airline modern with completely unique looks. It shows that Riyadh Air has no limits and that luxury and attention to detail is key across every aspect of the experience. It’s another first for Riyadh Air and I’m proud to collaborate with the airline.”
“There is a practicality aspect of the fashion line that means it’s easy and comfortable to wear. We wanted to have the theme of the collection to pay homage to the golden age of aviation, so I took that literally and went back to the 1950s when luxury aviation was at its peak. What we’ve done here is modernized the lines and pushed them to be more relevant but with the glamour of the golden era,” he added.
Ashi has been collaborating with Riyadh Air for nearly a year on the design of the fashion line with the color development taking over six months alone.
Riyadh Air is on track to make its maiden flight in 2025, revolutionizing the future of air travel through a premium aviation experience for both guests and team members. With an unwavering dedication to cutting-edge thinking and innovation, Riyadh Air aims to set new standards in the industry.
