Mushroom skin bag and Riyadh Fashion Week debut: Stella McCartney raises style stakes

British designer famous for her eco-friendly aesthetic will show in Saudi Arabia for the first time

Fashion designer Stella McCartney is making her debut in Saudi Arabia as the closing show for Riyadh Fashion Week's spring/summer 2026 season. PA Wire

Stella McCartney will present her first show in Saudi Arabia, closing out this year's Riyadh Fashion Week, taking place from October 16 to 21.

Made up of about 30 presentations and runway shows, the event includes not only Saudi fashion names, but also international designers and, as such, keeps a keen eye on the global fashion market.

McCartney, who is famous for shunning animal-based products and materials, will curate a collection that mixes recent pieces with archival looks.

Although this is McCartney's first show in the kingdom, she has been creating Ramadan collections since 2022, meaning she is already well-versed in what Saudi clients demand of their wardrobes.

The Riyadh show coincides with the British designer's latest campaign, starring actress Eva Mendes as the face of the autumn/winter 2025 Ryder bag. Made from mycelium, the network of filaments contained within fungi such as mushrooms, the bag offers a stylish and sustainable alternative to snakeskin.

Eva Mendes with the Ryder bag, made from mycelium-based 'snakeskin'. Photo: Stella McCartney / Instagram

Burak Cakmak, chief executive of the Saudi Fashion Commission, described McCartney's participation as a “milestone for Saudi Arabia’s creative evolution”.

Riyadh Fashion Week also recently announced British label Vivienne Westwood will make its debut at the event, kicking things off with a collection made in collaboration with Art of Heritage.

Founded by Princess Nourah bint Mohammed Al Faisal, Art of Heritage is the kingdom's largest collection of traditional clothes, jewellery and artefacts, and was established to preserve the nation's aesthetic history. The collaboration has set the tone for a week that celebrates both heritage and innovation in fashion.

The involvement of Westwood and McCartney – both labels known for putting sustainability and ethical practices at the heart of everything they do – helps to highlight the event's ambitious plans to be future-facing while ensuring traditional skills are preserved.

Since launching in 2023, RFW has also worked to propel Saudi designers into the global spotlight by providing a high-profile, government-backed event to showcase their talent.

Hindamme and Lina Maliaki wore T-shirts that read "Saudi Arabia is the Future" at Riyadh Fashion Week 2024. Photo: Riyadh Fashion Week

This season features Saudi label Hindamme, known for its 2018 Driving Jacket. Created to mark the moment women were allowed to drive in the kingdom, the garment is now housed in the Victoria & Albert Museum’s permanent collection. In 2024, the brand teamed up with Lina Malaika on a T-shirt reading “Saudi Arabia is the Future”, which was presented on the runway by pop star Mishaal Tamer and model Taleedah Tamer, walking arm-in-arm.

Other ready-to-wear brands to look for include Leem, known for its fluid, stylish separates; the crisp tailoring of Mona Alshebil; Arwa Al Banawi's edgy eponymous brand; and the evening and occasion wear of Razan Alazzouni. Couture labels Atelier Hekayat and Tima Abid are also taking part.

The “Big Four” fashion weeks of New York, London, Milan and Paris continue to dominate the calendar. However, the participation of Westwood and McCartney is an important moment for Riyadh Fashion Week as it asserts its position. Riyadh, as well as Dubai are both credible additions to the fashion map, which is significant as the world begins to look beyond the stranglehold of the “Global north” at what other markets can offer that is new and exciting.