For a fashion designer aspiring to expand globally, ambition alone is not enough, nor are symbolic appearances or public relations. Securing a place on the shelves of stores like Selfridges or Net-a-Porter requires more than a successful marketing campaign, and more than an elegant, beautiful design.
These stores value creativity and consider it among their standards. Yet their buying decisions are not built on the idea alone, but on a brand’s ability to turn that idea into a product ready for sale. The piece must be attractive, reproducible, and supported by a plan for pricing, packaging, supply, and marketing. Buyers there are not asking about your artistic vision, but about your production schedule, profit margins, and market responsiveness.
If you are wondering what truly qualifies you to enter this market, the answer begins with understanding the buyer’s mindset, the evaluation criteria, and the expectations of the end customer.
To bring the picture closer, this article highlights a real Saudi case: the participation of six local brands at Selfridges London, from June 3 to August 3, 2025.
Selfridges Store in London
What Happened?
On the second floor of Selfridges London, a dedicated space was created to showcase six Saudi fashion brands that are beneficiaries of the Cultural Development Fund and the 100 Saudi Brands initiatives, supported by the Fashion Commission and the Fund to expand their reach in international retail.
The space was designed in a contemporary style that reflects local character, drawing on lavender fields as a key visual reference; a seasonal symbol strongly tied to the Saudi natural landscape.
In celebration of the Year of Handicrafts, the Cultural Development Fund showcased selected products crafted by Saudi artisans — a step that highlighted their creativity and strengthened the presence of Saudi craftsmanship within the context of contemporary design. This participation aimed to cement the link between fashion and culture through a live experience that emphasized the role of traditional crafts as a genuine source of inspiration for local designers.
In celebration of the Year of Handicrafts, the Cultural Development Fund showcased selected products crafted by Saudi artisans — a step that highlighted their creativity and strengthened the presence of Saudi craftsmanship within the context of contemporary design. This participation aimed to cement the link between fashion and culture through a live experience that emphasized the role of traditional crafts as a genuine source of inspiration for local designers.
The initiative was organized in collaboration with Turquoise Mountain, an international non-profit dedicated to reviving traditional arts and supporting artisans worldwide. It is also worth noting that the Fund recently launched the Nama’a Accelerators Program, designed to enhance the efficiency of cultural enterprises and boost their competitiveness, beginning with the handicrafts track.
Saudi Handicraft Products at Selfridges
Saudi Handicraft Products at Selfridges
As for the participation of the brands, it came after a selection process carried out by the Selfridges buying team, based on fundamental criteria that any label must meet in order to enter this level.
Selfridges London receives over 17 million visitors each year from diverse nationalities and backgrounds, and its sales have exceeded £830 million, according to the latest reports.
Why Are International Experiences Important?
Because they give Saudi brands the opportunity to engage with a vast external market, beyond the boundaries of the local context.
In Selfridges, for example, no one knows the designer’s background or pays attention to who is behind the label. The evaluation is for the product itself: does it spark interest? Can it sell? And does it align with the shopper’s taste?
This participation served as a practical test to gauge how ready Saudi brands are to move from the local market into the system of international distribution and export.
Through it, designers were confronted with key questions:
Is the visual identity understandable outside the local context?
Can the brand meet production and supply requirements?
And is the team prepared to handle the conditions of global markets in terms of quantities, pricing, profit margins, and buyer expectations?
This type of experience does not guarantee success, but it is a genuine step toward understanding what expansion beyond borders requires, and what Saudi brands need in order to become part of an open global market.
Who Were the Participants?
The Saudi brands featured in the Selfridges London initiative were six in total: Aram, Noble & Fresh, Nora Al-Sheikh, Mona Alshebil, Samar Nasraldin, and Apoa.
All are Saudi labels carefully selected by the Selfridges buying team, based on criteria related to design quality, clarity of identity, and the marketability of their pieces within a global retail context.
Some of these brands had previously taken part in international shows or exhibitions in cities such as Paris, Milan, and Kuwait, but the Selfridges experience was different in terms of market dynamics, customer expectations, and execution requirements.
What Did the Designers Say?
We asked the participating designers two main questions:
What lessons did you learn from your past experiences that helped you prepare for this opportunity?
And what advice do you wish you had heard before entering international markets?
On Past Experiences
Through my direct interactions with customers and observing their choices, I began to truly understand what attracts them. I learned that a designer must strike a balance between market taste and the identity they present. The global market changes quickly, so you constantly need to develop your product and be up to the mark in terms of quality and professionalism. And honestly, building relationships in the field and having a presence in the media make a big difference and open many doors.
On Advice
Experience is not built in a day, but it is the most important weapon you have as a designer. It teaches you how to understand people and step into bigger markets. Today’s market is hungry for products with authentic cultural character that bring a perspective different from the mainstream. Especially in recent times, we’ve seen a genuine curiosity toward Saudi culture like never before. But to deliver your identity, you must present it professionally and in a language the market understands; not with exaggeration, nor in an obscure way.
On Past Experiences
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that details make all the difference, and that every design needs to have a clear story. I’ve come to believe that a strong, defined identity is not secondary but fundamental. With my participation in Selfridges, I felt that every previous experience helped me apply this understanding more authentically, allowing me to present my designs with a contemporary spirit that represents me and reflects my culture.
On Advice
My advice to every designer is to work on building their identity from the very beginning and not try to please everyone. Your vision must be clear, and you need to know exactly what you want to express through your work. Presentation also plays a big role, whether in organizing files or explaining the concept of a collection. All these steps must be professional, yet with a personal touch that reveals the hand behind the work. I believe success does not happen suddenly; it is a chain of experiences and accumulated steps, and every experience, no matter how small, paves the way forward.
On Past Experiences
We had previously participated in shows outside the Kingdom, in Paris and Milan, and worked with stores such as Harvey Nichols in Kuwait. Now, we are part of Selfridges in an experience that is completely different. What we’ve learned during this period is that readiness makes a huge difference, since stores sometimes request large quantities or specific designs and sizes, all of which require quick response and production capacity. It also became clear to us that the marketing aspect carries significant weight in the success of the experience, whether from our side as a brand or from the store. There must be a clear understanding of how the product is presented and how its concept is communicated to the audience.
Another key lesson: before entering into any collaboration with a store, you must understand the sales conditions and profit margins. Some stores take high percentages, and if you don’t calculate it properly, your profits will be affected, and you might even end up at a loss without realizing it.
On Advice
In international experiences, the most important thing is to have stock ready or the ability to produce quickly if a sudden order comes in. You need to have a clear marketing plan and open the door for collaboration with their PR team, since they know their audience best. At the same time, you must study the market you are entering: what matters to them, and how do they shop? Because you are not just offering them a product, you are offering a complete experience.
On Past Experiences
We had taken part in several international experiences before, but participating in Selfridges was completely different. The store has a unique character, not only because it is a luxury destination, but also because it attracts a diverse audience and relies heavily on the in-store shopping experience. Because of that, it became necessary for us to curate the collection in a way that balances the brand’s identity with the store’s requirements.
We selected pieces from the “Wild” collection because they reflect the spirit of Aram while also suiting the type of customer who visits Selfridges. Most importantly, we began to see international distribution not as a showcase step, but as a responsibility that requires a deep understanding of the product, the audience, and how to present each piece in a way that communicates on its own without needing much explanation.
On Advice
The most important thing for a designer is to work from the very beginning on a clear identity and a practical design that can live in the market, not just in photos. The global market is highly competitive, and the customer doesn’t know you, they judge your work from the very first moment. You have to strike a balance between what makes you unique and what actually meets the market’s needs. The equation may not be easy, but with time and effort you can get there, as long as you are conscious of your identity and where you want to go.
What Do We Learn From This Experience?
Being present in a global store does not mean that a brand has arrived, it means that the real test has begun. From this point, the challenge lies in sustaining momentum, meeting demand, and adapting to the standards of a market that leaves no room for hesitation or randomness.
The experience required designers to approach the project with a clear commercial mindset:
What can be produced consistently?
Is the pricing negotiable?
Is the brand capable of meeting the needs of an international retailer on time?
In this context, the product was not merely a cultural representation, but a commercial offering that had to be understandable, executable, and suited to the modern retail cycle.
Participation in such initiatives gives designers a realistic opportunity to evaluate the readiness of their business and to determine whether what they are offering today is truly enough to expand beyond the local market.
How Do You Reach Such an Experience?
Selfridges does not open its doors through an email, nor through a passing participation in an exhibition. Reaching this kind of store is the result of a systematic buildup in creating a brand that is fit for distribution — not just visual creativity. If you are a designer aspiring to be present in markets of this caliber, this is where you begin:
Define Your Brand Clearly
What message does it carry? Can it be recognized without explanation? Does it go beyond being “beautiful” to being understandable and marketable?
Turn the Idea Into a Product
The market does not evaluate a design as an image, but as a product. Is the piece ready for production? Can it be reproduced with consistent quality? Do you have a supply plan in place?
Set Your Pricing According to Market Realities
Can you cover your costs after the store’s commission is deducted? Does your pricing reflect your brand’s positioning in the market? Random pricing is enough to push you out before you even begin.
Present Your Brand in the Buyer’s Language
Buyers do not follow your Instagram. Without a clear line sheet and a well-prepared lookbook, you will not be taken seriously.
Enter the Market Through Those Who Understand It
Direct access is rare. Acceptance is often achieved through a professional intermediary who knows when, where, and how to present your brand to the buyer’s table.
These steps do not guarantee acceptance, but they are the minimum entry point to get into the game.
The Most Important Question Now:
Is your brand ready? Does your product have what it takes to move beyond the first impression and prove itself within a regular, sustainable sales cycle? And do you have the tools to deal with a professional buyer who pays no attention to intentions or effort, but only to readiness and results?
