An initiative to establish an academy and a factory to train and employ Saudi women in the garment industry is being launched by 35 Saudi women fashion designers at a cost of more than SR10 billion.

Umaima Azoz, a Saudi fashion designer responsible for this venture said in a recent press conference held on the occasion that it is the first of its kind in the Kingdom.

“We aim to train women in the production line, with the participation of renowned local and international women designers. The production will target both Saudi and international markets,” she said

The press conference was held on the sidelines of the announcement of the first international exhibition for machineries and equipment of the textile and garment industry, which will be held on Mar. 25 and will last for six days at the Jeddah Center for Forums & Events.

Azoz said the initiative includes 35 major fashion designers, along with 60 sub-designers in efforts to unify and integrate the garment industry in Saudi Arabia. “This will achieve a quantum leap in the local garment industry,” she added.

She said that the need to establish an academy surfaced because of a dearth of local training institutes the Kingdom.

She said that the members of the initiative visited the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry to garner its support to complete the red tape for the establishment of the academy and the factory. “We intend to make the JCCI a strategic partner to support the garment industry,” she explained.

Muhyiddin Hakmi, assistant secretary general and general manager of information technology at JCCI said the chamber is considering forming a committee for fashion design which will include Saudi women fashion designers.

Hakmi said the garment industry is a great opportunity for productive families and small-and-medium enterprises considering that the industry will attract international companies that will display state-of–the-art textile and garment machineries.