Hia Hub, in collaboration with Fashion Futures, set the stage for an inspiring 5-day conference of fashion, beauty, art, design and luxury during its opening night, offering an exclusive sneak peek into what fans can expect from this year’s conference.

Hosted in Riyadh’s historic JAX District on 2 November, the event brought together some of the most iconic international and regional industry leaders, trendsetters, celebrities and influencers. Notable attendees included Bahraini actress Amera Mohammed, Saudi Idol host Rajeh Alharthi, Saudi actress Khairiah Abulaban, alongside other prominent public figures, such as Eleen Suliman, Dr Hasan Ghoneim, Sultan Bin Abdullatif and Zainab Al Khalifa.

Mai Badr, Editor-In-Chief of the iconic Hia Magazine, and Burak Çakmak, CEO of the Saudi Fashion Commission, welcomed guests with opening remarks, highlighting the rapid growth of the fashion industry in Saudi Arabia and the wider MENA region. They also emphasised how Hia Hub, the largest fashion and lifestyle conference in the region, plays a significant role in enlightening and inspiring the next generation of fashion entrepreneurs and industry leaders.

Mai Badr, Editor-In-Chief of Hia Magazine, said: “When we launched our first edition of Hia Hub in 2021, we had a mission to become a leading lifestyle event, bringing together the biggest names in fashion, style, beauty, art and culture. Saudi Arabia’s cultural scene was thriving, and so we are proud to see that this year’s Hia Hub is bigger than ever before, with an extensive 5-day programme of inspirational, informative, and insightful discussions, masterclasses, seminars and workshops.”

Burak Çakmak, CEO of the Fashion Commission, said: “At Fashion Futures, our mission is to educate, foster global exchange and create opportunities for our industry. Hia Hub is the perfect platform to do that. Together, we will drive powerful dialogues to showcase how creative talents can chart a new path, own their stories and fuse purpose with creativity.”

Çakmak added: “This weekend, I invite all of you to explore the deeper transformation taking place across our fashion, beauty and creative industries. Most importantly, I invite you to explore the power of Saudi fashion through the exhibitions you will be able to see in this event.”

Mike Fairburn, Managing Director of SRMGx, said: “We are exceptionally proud of Hia Hub, which is now in its third year and has firmly established itself as the leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle conference in the region. At SRMGx, we design live experiences that foster deeper connections with audiences and brands across a multitude of industries. Hia Hub 3.0 is a culmination of our dedication and efforts, and follows our SRMG Beach Experience at Cannes Lions in June, a brand experience showcasing our innovations in media. I would like to thank Mai, Burak and our many esteemed partners for their unwavering support as we welcome in another standout Hia Hub festival.”

VIP guests received an exclusive tour of Hia Hub’s exhibitions and activations, featuring luxury brand experiences from Richard Mille and Bulgari, the Saudi 100 Brands exhibit, and innovative installations from some of the biggest regional artists, such as Rex Chouk and Future Bedouin. Additionally, this year Hia Hub has introduced the Bacora-sponsored Shopping Hub with an extensive lineup of brands to purchase.

The night concluded with musical performances from Saudi A-Pop Artist Molham and Saudi Musician Abdulkhaliq at the Billboard Arabia Stage. Billboard Arabia will host live performances by artists from the Arab world every night at Hia Hub, including Saudi Singer Dalia Mubarak, Moroccan Singer Manal, Lebanese Singer Mashael, DJ Group Disco Misr, Kuwaiti Singer and Producer Daffy, and many more.

Hia Hub officially opened on Friday, 3 November and will run until Tuesday, 7 November. Hia Hub is a truly unique 5-day conference, featuring a dynamic programme of engaging discussions, seminars, workshops with prominent figures such as International Lebanese Artist Elissa, Arab Actresses Shereen Reda, Nadine Njeim, and Stephanie Atala, as well as Designer Andrea Wazen, Entrepreneur and Founder of WMM Yara Al Namlah, and the CEO and Founder of Yataghan Jewelry Sarah Abudawood, among others. Hia Hub is also back with its highly anticipated masterclasses led by fashion and beauty industry leaders, such as Celebrity Makeup Artist Hindash, Celebrity Stylist Rebecca Corbin-Murray and Digital Entrepreneur and Luxury Consultant Nojoud Al Rumaihi.

For the full programme, visit hiahub.com.

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