RIYADH: Intriguing redesigns of the traditional Gulf thobe were recently showcased at Riyadh Fashion Week, with menswear label Lomar staying true to their mission of creating “contemporary designs that connect the past with the future.”Founded in 2002 by Loay Naseem and his wife Mona Al-Haddad, the label is known for its forward-thinking menswear offeringsTheir latest collection was created under the direction of Belgian, Jeddah-based designer Christophe Beaufays, the senior designer and associate art director at Lomar since 2012, who formerly worked at the studios of Jean-Paul Gaultier in Paris. The line boasted looks that incorporated a snug turtleneck into long white and black thobes or placed a dapper button down jacket over the traditional robe and in other places transformed it to be more sporty with belt-like adornments criss crossing the bodice in lighter materials allowing the body to breathe more easily. Other looks incorporated geometric patterns, a nod seemingly to traditional Najdi-style patterns that can be found in old architectural structures throughout Riyadh.The thobes presented incorporated a variety of materials – from sumptuous lavish fabrics for elegant eveningwear to heavier material to wear during the winter and lighter cotton pieces to be worn in the hotter months. “Since the founders of Lomar … started 20 years ago to be the first to redefine the traditional Saudi male dress — that never stopped evolving since then — we decided to take this wonderful opportunity given by the Fashion Commission and Ministry of Culture to create a powerful collection that pays tribute to the constant creativity, innovation and pioneer spirit of the brand that all started by including some streetwear elements to the traditional male Saudi garment. The key words for the collection are urban, arty, heritage,” Beaufays told Arab News.There’s something for everyone in the latest collection — which, like its founders desired, aims to enable Saudi men to showcase the creative potential of the thobe while also maintaining pride in its heritage. With the selected models hailing from both the East and the West, the latest collection also demonstrates how the thobe can be worn by men from all cultures and creatively dressed up and adorned to suit a variety of uses and occasions.