RIYADH: Saudi fashion brand HINDAMME had its fifth season soft launch in Diriyah’s Jax District Hia Hub, with the brand paying tribute to the Kingdom’s history and blending Western and Eastern concepts. “As a very proud Saudi who has grown up in different parts of the world, I have a duty to highlight my culture to more of a global audience,” HINDAMME founder and designer Mohammed Khoja told Arab News. “So, its just a very simple way of me being able to draw inspiration from my culture, but also being able to export it to a Western and global audience.” He said the latest season was inspired by people’s experiences of dealing with coronavirus. Khoja uses color therapy alongside murals and motifs in his fifth season, inspired by the richness and beauty of the environment. He said he wanted people to reconnect with the environment and family following the quarantine measures that many were faced with globally. “Ive chosen to kind of translate a very positive outlook through my collection, and my message is that we did go through some hard times, but also we should kind of reconnect to the simpler things in life, to our environment, to our families.” During quarantine, Khoja collaborated with Japanese artist Ikegami Yoriyuki through Zoom to create a piece for the new season. “It all happened online, similar to everyone else. We were using Zoom to communicate, and we created and commissioned a piece together, a collaborative piece called ‘A Certain Planet.’” His season four collection, titled “Al Ula” in collaboration with the Winter at Tantora festival, highlighted the ancient and historical civilization of AlUla. “HINDAMME is a reflection of my experiences, and its inspired by me being able to highlight my heritage and my culture in a contemporary way and to a global audience.” The Arabic word hindamme means to possess perfect form in harmony and aesthetic. “I think its the ability to merge things that, normally, lets say would clash. Its very authentic, so most of it does come from the inspiration that comes from within my community.” Khoja said he had always been creative since childhood, and that his passion for design and creativity flourished through painting. He was drawn into the world of fashion because of its ability to reach wider audiences. “What drew me to fashion specifically is the fact that it’s an art form that you can create and people can engage with. You can automatically see people wearing your clothes, engaging with their clothes. Its a way your vision translates to a wider audience.” He also shared with Arab News that the new season could potentially feature in Saks Fifth Avenue in Bahrain, as well as in the Personage boutique and through the online store. Hia Hub hosts art and cultural events, as well as lectures and exhibitions in Jax District, an industrial area that has turned into a platform for artists in Diriyah, near Riyadh.