Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud Chronicles Saudi Arabia’s Cultural Dress in New Assouline Publication

Riyadh, May 5, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Her Highness Princess Noura bint Faisal Al Saud, a pioneering figure in Saudi Arabia’s fashion and cultural heritage scene, has released a landmark book in collaboration with luxury publisher Assouline, titled “Costumes of Saudi Arabia: A Heritage of Fashion.”

The 200-page volume, housed in a luxury clamshell case, is a richly illustrated and scholarly work that explores the traditional garments, textiles, and accessories of Saudi Arabia’s five regions. Through detailed narratives and high-end photography by Laziz Hamani, the book documents the stylistic diversity, tribal legacies, and material culture that define the Kingdom’s heritage dress.

Princess Noura, a great-granddaughter of the Kingdom’s founder, King Abdulaziz, and the visionary behind Saudi Fashion Week, collaborated with Sian Tichar on the text. The concept for the book originated in 2019 when the two co-curated an exhibition on traditional Saudi fashion in Riyadh under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture. A catalogue accompanied the exhibition, but the ambition to create a lasting visual and cultural archive led to this latest Assouline edition.

“Fashion was distinctive not only from region to region but from tribe to tribe, and clothes identified the provenance of the wearer,” Princess Noura told Vogue Arabia. “We wanted the reader to understand not just the aesthetic value, but the social, geographic, and historical context of each garment.”

Organized by region—north, south, east, west, and central—the book provides insight into the textures, embroidery, materials, and symbolism used in traditional Saudi dress. Each piece is analyzed not only for its craftsmanship but also for what it reveals about trade routes, environmental adaptations, and social stratification.

“For example,” Princess Noura explained, “the fashions of the Eastern Province exhibit Indian and Asian influences due to historical trade routes, while the Northern styles are marked by more durable fabrics such as woven sheep’s wool, adapted to the harsher winters.”

Beyond garments, Costumes of Saudi Arabia also features traditional accessories, including ornate headpieces and kohl vessels, many of which were historically embellished and worn as statement items, reflecting both function and identity.

The publication is not merely a fashion book, but a cultural repository—preserving tribal stories, trade influences, and heritage practices at a time when Saudi Arabia is investing significantly in its cultural and creative industries under Vision 2030.

Princess Noura's contribution marks a new milestone in cultural documentation and global engagement with Saudi Arabia’s artistic heritage. The release reflects the Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding and promoting its intangible heritage on the world stage.