JEDDAH: A monthlong fashion designing competition will start from today at Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry (JCCI) to promote the Kingdom’s fashion industry and reduce dependence on imports.
“We’ll receive designs from June 15 to July 15 from Saudi women who wish to participate in the contest,” Mohammed Al-Shahry, supervisor of the competition. He said a jury would be appointed to pick the best 10 designs.
The top winners will receive laptops and free training at a ready-made dress factory. The first place winner will get three valuable prizes, including an embroidery machine worth SR30,000.
The second and third place winners will be given applique machines worth SR25,000 each.
“This competition is the first of its kind organized by the JCCI and it coincides with Jeddah Ghair tourism festival,” Al-Shahry said.
He believes the competition will encourage Saudi women to enter the fashion industry. The competition also offers them training in designing and embroidery, he added.
Al-Shahry, who estimated the value of the Kingdom’s ready-made dress imports at more than SR2 billion annually, said local investment in the industry was negligible.
Hala Bukhary, owner of a fashion shop in Jeddah, said the event would promote fair competition among Saudi women in fashion designing, encouraging them to come out with new ideas. She said Saudi Arabia required institutes and specialized centers to teach young women how to design dresses. “Most of the workers in the Kingdom’s design shops are foreigners,” she pointed out.
Bukhary proposed that the JCCI hold annual designing contests to encourage greater participation of women who want to show off and refine their skills.
