Gowns by Saudi designers and inspired by the ancient city of AlUla made it to the Oscars Vanity Fair after-party on Sunday, worn by supermodels Helena Christensen and Eva Herzigova.
Arwa Al Ammari and sisters Abeer Oraif and Alia Oraif designed the sustainable dresses as part of a platform called AlUla Creates, recently launched to nurture creativity and empower future generations in film, the arts and fashion.
Christensen and Herzigova are ambassadors for AlUla Creates. The year-long programme gives all participating creatives, including filmmakers and artists, the chance to collaborate with industry professionals and access development funds to make their best works, set against the landscapes of AlUla.
Al Ammari, who runs her label ArAm, and the Oraif sisters with their brand Al Hekayat, were mentored by British designer Emilia Wickstead, who leant her experience and production support to bring the designers’ visions to life.
Al Ammari's dress, worn by Herzigova, was inspired the tombs of AlUla, the Incense Road and the curves and lines found in region's natural stone.
“AlUla is a land of human and natural heritage. Getting inspired by this place to design a dress which tells part of our story, reflecting on heritage and showing it to the world at this prestigious event is a milestone in my career," she said.
The Oraif sisters, meanwhile, dressed Christensen.
"At Atelier Hekayat, we believe in art and stories. An art that comes from a combination of identities, moods and cultural settings. Being part of the AlUla Creates programme, and designing a dress for Helena Christensen has been a beautiful expression on this vision," they said.
The Vanity Fair after-party, the biggest of the Oscars bashes, took place at the Wallis Annenberg Centre for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, and attracted many of those who attended the awards ceremony, as well as several other stars.
A number of dresses by Middle Eastern designers were also worn by other stars including Fan Bingbing in Lebanese-Italian designer Tony Ward, Cara Delevingne in Elie Saab and Eva Longoria in Zuhair Murad, both designers from Lebanon. Rihanna, who performed at the Oscars ceremony, continued her partnership with Alaia, the fashion label founded by the late Tunisian designer Azzedine Alaia.
Scroll through the gallery below for more pictures from the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party
