JAKARTA: Indonesian designers will present modern interpretations of heritage textiles at Saudi Fashiontex Expo, the Gulf region’s biggest fashion exhibition, as they seek to enter the Kingdom’s booming luxury and modest clothing sectors.

Saudi Arabia is hosting more than 500 exhibitors from 25 countries and expecting over 10,000 international visitors for the fourth edition in Jeddah, which opens on Thursday. 

Indonesia, which ranked first globally in the modest fashion sector according to the 2025/26 State of Global Islamic Economy Report, will be represented by a group of 10 fashion designers and companies curated by the country’s Trade Ministry. 

For Irna Mutiara, founder of fashion brand Irna La Perle, the expo is an “opportunity to bring Indonesia’s cultural identity and wealth” to the global market. 

She is launching a special abaya collection that uses traditional jumputan fabric from Palembang, South Sumatra, which is made by using tie-dyeing techniques. 

“We want to bring two cultures together through fashion. Specifically, the elegance of the Middle Eastern abaya and the unique craftsmanship and colors of Indonesia’s traditional textiles,” Irna told Arab News ahead of the exhibit. 

“As jumputan comes from a manual process, each fabric has its own character and colors, which I think makes every one of them uniquely beautiful.” 

Saudi Arabia is the world’s third-largest modest fashion consumer market, just behind Iran and Turkiye, according to the SGIE report. 

The State of Fashion in Saudi Arabia 2026 report, issued by the Saudi Fashion Commission, said the Kingdom’s market is forecast to reach $40 billion by 2029. 

Indonesia has been targeting the Saudi market to expand its modest fashion exports in recent years, with the government supporting the industry’s growth through trade roadshows and by facilitating networking opportunities with potential foreign partners. 

Irna, who established her brand in 2007, expects her participation in Jeddah to “open doors” to introduce Indonesia’s modest fashion to a global audience. 

 “We want to show the extent of Indonesia’s rich heritage, craftsmanship, creativity and talent. We want to show that Indonesia’s traditional textiles can be part of modern and sophisticated fashion trends, with commercial value for the global market,” she said. 

Rina Angrainy, who founded modest fashion brand KarinaDesign in Jakarta in 2014, is also looking to spotlight high-quality Indonesian products in Saudi Arabia. 

Her collection blends “modern design with distinctive Indonesian craftsmanship,” featuring specific techniques of embroidery, beadwork and batik, an ancient textile art that has been recognized as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO since 2009.  

“We want to highlight how Indonesian modest fashion is of quality standard, from its detailed stitching, exquisite craftsmanship, and design,” Rina said. 

“We hope this collection will attract potential buyers and open up business partnership opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”