Diriyah, A City In Saudi Arabia That’s The Place To Be

Plus, the RAMZEN x Diriyah fashion show that brought over 200 attendees.

It’s always fascinating to learn about another country’s history. When we make the time to get educated on different countries and their history, it helps us understand why certain decisions were made or not made, how their country impacts the globe, and furthermore, it helps us appreciate other cultures that are different to our own.

Saudi Arabia has a rich history. Currently, the country is in its third Saudi state. The first Saudi state was established in the city of Diriyah and ended with Ottoman intrusion, the second Saudi state ended with internal problems within the royal family, and the Saudi we know today is in its third state.

At-Turaif royal residence in Diriyah | Photo Credit Diriyah Company

“Diriyah sits at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s founding story. The city is a source of national pride and identity for millions of Saudis and is at the forefront of the Kingdom’s transformation. With more than three centuries of incredibly rich history, there are so many unique offerings here,” says Jerry Inzerillo, the CEO of the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA). “As a hub for cultural exchange, Diriyah emerged as a center for scholars, traders, artists and artisans to showcase their works.”

The city is a magical-esque place known as the City of Earth, filled with Date Palm trees, and the At-Turaif the first royal residence of Imam Muhammad bin Saud, the founder of Saudi Arabia. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2010, Diriyah is a bridge between the old and modernity. Unlike cities like Dubai where you have to really press in to experience the culture, in the Kingdom the culture is palpable and invites visitors and expats to delve in. Saudi Arabia is now saying to the world after so many years of being closed: we’re inviting you to come in and explore our rich history, so come.

I like to think of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the founder of the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud as similar minded men. They are incredible visionaries, understanding the importance of opening up their nations to the world. Opening up your country is not just something that’s good for foreigners but also for your own people. The Saudi Crown Prince has been working hard to turn things in his country the past years with initiatives like Vision 2030, which will include a world expo in 2030. He has a sixty-three percent population of 32.3 million people, under the age of thirty years old, according to a Reuters report published in May. Over 10 million Saudi young people need jobs and the country, like the UAE is trying to get its citizens to move into private sector jobs.

When it comes to Diriyah, the Crown Prince and his father King Salman of Saudi Arabia understand that the city is crucial to Saudi Arabia and has a seat at the table of world history, and they needed someone with exquisite executive oversite. To do this they hired Inzerillo, a charismatic American businessman who is passionate about his role as the CEO of the DGDA, a $63.2 billion cultural and lifestyle development project.

“I first travelled to Saudi Arabia in the 1980s. At a time when the country was closed to international tourism, I felt very fortunate to gain a glimpse of life in the Kingdom,” muses Inzerillo. “The first thing that struck me was how readily and warmly people embraced me. From the moment I stepped off the plane, I was welcomed with open arms. So, when Saudi Arabia opened to international tourism for the first time in 2019, I was delighted to invite my closest friends to come and experience life here too. Like me, they all remarked on the kindness of Saudi hospitality and the enormous variety of customs and traditions they encountered.”

The finale of the RAMZEN x Diriyah collection | Photo Credit Diriyah Company

On Thursday evening Diriyah hosted an evening of arts and fashion in conjunction with the Athr Gallery, held in the Bujairi Terrace with the At-Turaif and Wadi Hanifah behind. It was a fitting location in the city, where artistic inspiration was front and center. Quite simply, it was an evening for the DGDA to support local talent by providing a platform that nurtures their creativity, with a backdrop of historical buildings like At-Turaif and the Bujairi Terrace. The distinct Nijdi architecture made the evening all the more magical.

“There is no better example of this than Abdulrahman AlRomaizan’s RAMZEN x Diriyah collection, which was the centerpiece of the show. It is a pioneering example of the role that Diriyah fulfils as a giga-project at the heart of Saudi Arabia’s transformation – a catalyst for Vision 2030, Diriyah demonstrates the enormous potential of dynamic urban cultural development in uplifting and supporting communities and local talent,” says Inzerillo.

A majlis outdoor reception | Photo Credit Diriyah Company

An outdoor reception with juices and light hors d’ oeuvres started the evening, and by 11pm- an early hour for Saudi’s commenced the runway show of well-known Saudi designer, Abdulrahman AlRomaizan. The show featured looks that meshed traditional Saudi silhouettes in contemporary styles in front of an audience of over two-hundred people. Elegant gowns that tastefully hug the feminine form, matched with capes, kaftans, laced sleeves, or elegant shoulder pieces are a reminder to women that it is possible to be feminine and sassy, but at the same time classy.

Looks for the men are masculine, highlighting broad chests in the form of thobes, robes, embroidered blazers, a tailored cream suit with bronze a bisht, and the kicker is the matching set of gold hues with the Crown Prince’s face.

A collection that left me speechless also left me wondering why isn’t AlRomaizan showing in Paris during men’s fashion week? AlRomaizan exudes a quiet humility. After the show, he walked the entirety of the runway, gently nodding and thanking guests for attending. Growing up in Milan, he has shown there and hopefully his designs continue to resonate with Saudi and Western cultures.

“From live performances and exhibitions to the grand finale of the gala dinner, the event showed the world the incredible warmth of traditional Saudi hospitality and a unique music ensemble. Diriyah occupies a truly unique position not just in Saudi Arabia but the entire region. As we continue to develop you will see many more high-profile cross-cultural events hosted right across our portfolio of renowned assets,” says the CEO.

The art exhibition will be on display through till the end of this week in the Bujairi Terracce, which features art by Saudi designers under the Athr Gallery. “Guests were taken on an exclusive journey through Saudi Arabia’s cultural richness with gallery art pieces, which includes talented Saudi artist Mohammad Alfaraj,” notes Inzerillo.

Photo Credit Diriyah Company

“A key part of our strategy is to support local talent and the Arts and Fashion show was an excellent example of how our development activities are offering new unprecedented opportunities for Saudi designers, tradespeople, and artists to promote their work, gain international attention and expand the breadth of their audience. We are supporting the entrepreneurs and businessmen and women of tomorrow as Saudis pioneer progress and change across the full breadth of the economy,” says Inzerillo.

There’s something calming and inviting about Diriyah. It’s a beautiful city that not only has At-Turaif and a large food and beverage offering, but also beautiful grounds. For the Westerner, it’s what we envision the magic of Arabia to be like. To be appreciated it must be visited and once here, tours of the city can be arranged along with a nice lunch or dinner at the myriad of restaurants in the city.