Throughout history, fashion has always been tied to civilization. Ibn Khaldun once wrote: “The tailoring of garments, their sizing, and the art of stitching are among the customs and refinements of civilization.” His words point to the evolution of fashion design, its tools, and its deep connection to art. In the same spirit, Saudi National Day finds its expression through fashion, where every piece created for the occasion tells a story of pride and belonging.

Today, Saudi fashion is marked by notable progress and remarkable craftsmanship. Yet, when it comes to celebrating one of the Kingdom’s most important occasions, the scene still leans on repetition, lacking fresh approaches, new color palettes, and, most importantly, a richer use of cultural symbols.

It’s well known that symbols stand in place of something else, creating a link between the tangible and the abstract. A symbol has a concrete, physical presence, yet it points to an idea or a meaning beyond itself. In fashion, we often see this translated into striking and distinctive embodiments of cultural symbols within design.

In Saudi National Day fashion, time often feels frozen, caught in a cycle of predictability rather than renewal. Yet the Kingdom’s rich cultural history, deep-rooted heritage, and the efforts of numerous initiatives offer designers a wealth of untapped inspiration to break the cycle and reimagine how our national symbols appear in contemporary fashion.

One example is the Ministry of Culture’s guide “Documenting and Digitally Archiving Cultural Heritage in Saudi Arabia,” created to serve as a reference for institutions in documenting cultural elements and archiving them digitally, making it accessible to anyone interested. Alongside this and many other initiatives, however, the symbols used in Saudi National Day fashion keep repeating year after year, stripping them of the spark of renewal and reducing them to mere ideas that could have been told in far more creative and innovative ways.

These moments raise pressing questions: why do some designers hesitate to step beyond the familiar and expected, remaining captive to patterns that have been repeated so often they feel more ordinary than they should, in a world whose very essence is renewal?

Some collections place all the focus on a single symbol, stealing the spotlight from the rest of the designs. This sidelines other details, rendering them unnoticed, and in turn strips the collection of balance and diversity, making the visual experience far less fulfilling.

The lack of innovation often stems from following mainstream designs to secure quick profits, especially for a time-bound occasion like National Day. While this focus on financial return is understandable, it can backfire on the designer, signaling limited inspiration and a shortage of fresh ideas.

Since the last week of August, fashion designs bearing specific patterns have appeared everywhere, promoted as this year’s new trend for the celebrations. And while trends are undoubtedly important, an entire collection can’t be built on them alone, nor can they be enough as the sole contribution to such a significant occasion.

Creativity and innovation reflect the depth of a designer’s awareness and cultural grounding. Since the very essence of fashion lies in weaving stories, philosophies, and artistic explorations, repetition traps the designer in a rigid frame that, over time, becomes a maze difficult to escape, dulling their ability to open new horizons.

Inspiration in fashion, especially for this occasion, shouldn’t come only from the tangible. Emotional expressions serve as intangible symbols of belonging and pride in a generous homeland. This day marks the unification of our Kingdom under its founder, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, may he rest in peace, and those very emotions are themselves a powerful source of inspiration, creativity, and innovation.

In the end, fashion on Saudi National Day is an unspoken language that expresses our bond with heritage and identity in a way that is uniquely our own. The challenge now is for designers and brands to move beyond predictability and translate this bond into bold, innovative creations that truly reflect the spirit of renewal the day represents.