RIYADH: Models in embroidered gowns incorporating delicate beadwork and sequins on fabrics such as satin and lace, in cuts that married contemporary with traditional Arabian heritage, walked down the runway for Jeddah-born haute couture designer Tima Abid’s show at Riyadh Fashion WeekThe collection, which Abid described as reflecting “darkness, light, and opposites,” was specifically made for the inaugural Riyadh Fashion Week. Abid’s signature structured looks are inspired by the Kingdom’s natural landscapes — its desert dunes, lush oases, and mountainous terrains.In a video for Riyadh Fashion Week, she said: “The collection was inspired by the cycle of life, from the emergence of dawn to the splendor of the sunset, that drags its tail proudly, hurrying for the descent of the evening, with its stars upon the darkness of the sky.” Long, intricately embellished gowns made of luxurious and sumptuous fabrics were accompanied with accessories. These included bracelets with a large circular orb covered in sequins, and elaborate head coverings — akin to the traditional Muslim shayla — worn with several looks incorporating feathers and other bejewelled accessories.Some of the models wore the batoola, a metallic-looking fashion mask traditionally worn by Arabian Muslim women. Abid established her label nearly two decades ago and has since created gowns for numerous prominent figures, including the bridal gown of Emirati-Yemeni singer Balqees Fathi. In 2020 she debuted her collection on the sidelines of Paris Haute Couture Week.The seemingly never-ending long trails on Abid’s white bridal gown with its meticulous patterns in lacework and on other lavish evening dresses gave the sense of glamor, power, beauty, and strength of a woman proud of her heritage while embracing modernity. Abid’s collection was celestial in nature — a marriage of East and West, past and present, in couture pieces that aimed to allow the viewer to dream and transcend through their beauty. She said: “This collection is an invitation from me to fall in love with today and with life.”