“They think we only wear black, but for us, we know our heritage is rich with colour,” says Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud. “Every region has its own identity, its own palette and its own traditions. As a Saudi Arabian, I wanted to make sure that the world sees how beautiful our culture is and how proud we are of it.”
Her new book, Costumes of Saudi Arabia: A Heritage of Fashion, co-authored with Sian Tichar, features photography by Laziz Hamani and is published by Assouline. It’s a sumptuous 192-page visual and intellectual journey through the kingdom’s traditional clothing – part archival record and part celebration of Saudi Arabia’s sartorial past.
Until recently, Saudi dress was often perceived as uniform – defined by billowing black abayas and niqabs. But as the kingdom opens up, Princess Noura and Tichar are determined to reveal a culture as nuanced as its embroidery. Researched over the course of a year, the book is a tribute to a rapidly vanishing world of heritage and artistry.
The project’s roots date back to 2019, when the duo first collaborated on Fashion Futures, Saudi Arabia’s inaugural fashion conference, led by the Ministry of Culture. “Princess Noura and I come from fashion backgrounds,” says Tichar. “She was leading the national fashion strategy and I was advising.” The pair quickly discovered a shared passion.
That first exhibition, The Hidden Kaleidoscope, focused on regional dress and included a mini booklet. “I think, from that exhibition, Sian and I looked at each other and said, we have to do a book,” says Princess Noura. “It was so easy for us to transfer that into a wider collection.”
Intent on going beyond museum archives, they sought out garments preserved in private homes. “We wanted to get pieces from individuals who are keeping and saving something they had from their grandparents,” explains Princess Noura.
The resulting book isn’t about a single collection, but a mosaic of rediscovered pieces. “Princess Noura phoned up family members, looked through old address books and asked via old and ancient networks, ‘Who are the people sitting on the most beautiful, valuable and authentic costumes in the Kingdom?’” says Tichar. “Then we tracked them down.”
Their research took them from the kingdom’s northern borders – where men’s coats are made from thick sheep’s wool to withstand desert cold – to the lush south, where female farmers wore wide-brimmed palm hats and colourful serwal (trousers) beneath short dresses. Each ensemble reflects geography, climate and way of life.
One striking discovery was a pink and silver bridal look from Makkah, adorned with a pearl-strewn breastplate and delicate silver-thread embroidery – an aesthetic still echoed in contemporary Saudi wedding dress. Other traditional cuts and embellishments continue to influence Ramadan wardrobes today.
The book also uncovers rare accessories – beaded pouches once used to store kohl eyeliner and elevated wooden hammam slippers – engraved in silver and reminiscent of 1990s Vivienne Westwood platforms.
“What’s fascinating is that they were raised so that women wouldn’t get their feet wet, but were engraved in metal and silver, so not practical at all,” says Tichar. “What does that say about society and women and dress across all cultures?”
The timing is critical. As Saudi Arabia continues its path of rapid transformation, there’s a growing urgency to archive cultural legacies before they’re lost. “The most worrying thing about costumes, and this isn’t specific to Saudi, is their care and maintenance over time,” says Tichar.
“They need a lot of care, and they need to be kept in temperature and humidity-controlled environments. Saudi Arabia, like many cultures, is in a race to preserve this part of history.” With this book, at least, many garments now have a permanent home on the printed page.
In a world dominated by fast fashion, Costumes of Saudi Arabia is a love letter to craftsmanship, memory and identity. “Fashion is a language,” says Tichar. “If you know how to read it, you learn about the people who wear it.”
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Series information
Pakistan v Dubai
First Test, Dubai International Stadium
Sun Oct 6 to Thu Oct 11
Second Test, Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Tue Oct 16 to Sat Oct 20
Play starts at 10am each day
Teams
Pakistan
1 Mohammed Hafeez, 2 Imam-ul-Haq, 3 Azhar Ali, 4 Asad Shafiq, 5 Haris Sohail, 6 Babar Azam, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed, 8 Bilal Asif, 9 Yasir Shah, 10, Mohammed Abbas, 11 Wahab Riaz or Mir Hamza
Australia
1 Usman Khawaja, 2 Aaron Finch, 3 Shaun Marsh, 4 Mitchell Marsh, 5 Travis Head, 6 Marnus Labuschagne, 7 Tim Paine, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Peter Siddle, 10 Nathan Lyon, 11 Jon Holland
The%20Super%20Mario%20Bros%20Movie
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Aaron%20Horvath%20and%20Michael%20Jelenic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Chris%20Pratt%2C%20Anya%20Taylor-Joy%2C%20Charlie%20Day%2C%20Jack%20Black%2C%20Seth%20Rogen%20and%20Keegan-Michael%20Key%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Persuasion
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ECarrie%20Cracknell%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDakota%20Johnson%2C%20Cosmo%20Jarvis%2C%20Richard%20E%20Grant%2C%20Henry%20Golding%20and%20Nikki%20Amuka-Bird%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
How to help
Donate towards food and a flight by transferring money to this registered charity's account.
Account name: Dar Al Ber Society
Account Number: 11 530 734
IBAN: AE 9805 000 000 000 11 530 734
Bank Name: Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
To ensure that your contribution reaches these people, please send the copy of deposit/transfer receipt to: juhi.khan@daralber.ae
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201.5-litre%204-cylinder%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20101hp%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20135Nm%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3A%20Six-speed%20auto%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh79%2C900%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
UK’s AI plan
- AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
- £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
- £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
- £250m to train new AI models
Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
Name: Peter Dicce
Title: Assistant dean of students and director of athletics
Favourite sport: soccer
Favourite team: Bayern Munich
Favourite player: Franz Beckenbauer
Favourite activity in Abu Dhabi: scuba diving in the Northern Emirates
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
