Can Saudi luxury become more just than a market for global brands? Signs seem to point that way: Riyadh Fashion Week is drawing international attention to emerging Saudi designers, while the country is establishing itself as a creative force in its own right. But what do the designers themselves make of the shift?

“We are living in the golden time,” Sara Abdulrahman Almazroa tells us. “Everything is growing so fast. Either you get on track, or you're going to miss it.” 

As the founder of MANF, Almazroa is part of a new generation of creatives transforming how international audiences see Saudi fashion and lifestyle. The label’s collections encompass clothing for women, men, and children, blending traditional craftsmanship with modern silhouettes. MANF also creates objects inspired by local hospitality, such as the Al-Borj travel coffee bag—which comes with a portable coffee maker, handmade ceramic cups, and containers for coffee and cardamom—garnering significant attention.

MANF takes its name from Manfuhah, Almazroa’s hometown in Riyadh. The label’s visual language draws on the town’s decorated doors, craft traditions, and family stories. As Almazroa explains in the interview that follows, “For MANF, looking forward begins with a journey into the past.”

Contemporary resortwear by MANF combines relaxed silhouettes, vibrant colours and references to Saudi cultural heritage. Courtesy of MANF. 

What Inspires a Saudi Fashion Designer? 

Sara Abdulrahman Almazroa’s journey into fashion was anything but conventional. With a degree in special education, experience as a yoga instructor, and a background in hospitality, she explored several industries before turning her childhood fascination with clothing into a professional venture.

“I always felt I had something to share with my community and my country,” she says. “I didn’t want my brand to be just about selling clothes or following trends. I wanted to create a legacy.”

That ambition eventually became MANF, named after Manfuhah, her hometown, whose architectural heritage shapes much of the brand’s creative vocabulary.

Among her strongest inspirations are the elaborately decorated wooden doors traditionally found in Saudi homes. Their geometric patterns, intricate carvings, and vibrant combinations of fuchsia, yellow, green, and navy have found new life across MANF’s collections, translated into embroidery, accessories, and contemporary garments.

The fascination is also deeply personal. Sara Abdulrahman Almazroa recalls her grandfather telling stories about an ancestor who would close the family’s large gate whenever he was upset, turning an architectural feature into an unexpected form of communication. 

Years later, researching those same doors led her to local artisans whose expertise revealed another side of Saudi visual culture:

“People used to think Saudi Arabia was just deserts and camels. But we have incredibly colourful nature, art, and traditions. The challenge is finding a way to translate that heritage into something people everywhere can recognise” – Sara Abdulrahman Almazroa, founder of the Saudi luxury brand MANF

Sara Abdulrahman Almazroa, founder of MANF, draws inspiration from her hometown of Manfuhah and its cultural heritage. Courtesy of MANF.

How Traditional Saudi Crafts Are Reworked in Contemporary Fashion

Rather than reproducing traditional garments, MANF reinterprets their cultural references through resortwear, loungewear, scarves, and accessories, combining relaxed silhouettes with handmade details and an emphasis on natural materials.

This approach positions the brand at the forefront of contemporary luxury, where craftsmanship, provenance, and cultural storytelling can no longer be overlooked. 

Almazroa also collaborates with local artisans, including craftspeople with disabilities, on objects inspired by Saudi hospitality. One particularly personal project pairs a leather bag with handmade ceramic cups designed around the ritual of serving Saudi coffee.

The designer envisions MANF evolving into a lifestyle brand, offering accessories, gifts and objects that introduce international audiences to Saudi culture.

“I don’t want people to connect with the brand only physically. I want them to have an emotional connection with what they’re buying” – Sara Abdulrahman Almazroa

The Al-Borj travel coffee bag by MANF celebrates Saudi hospitality through handcrafted ceramics and contemporary design. Courtesy of MANF.

What Is Saudi 100 Brands? The Programme Supporting Local Designers

MANF's evolution mirrors the broader transformation of Saudi Arabia's fashion industry.

The label is part of Saudi 100 Brands, the Fashion Commission initiative that supports local designers through mentorship, business development and opportunities for international exposure.

For Almazroa, joining the programme has meant access to industry expertise, strategic guidance and new commercial connections. Meanwhile, her studies at Istituto Marangoni Riyadh are equipping her with the creative and entrepreneurial skills needed to propel MANF forward.

MANF reinterprets traditional Saudi decorative motifs through colourful textiles, expressive silhouettes and contemporary womenswear. Courtesy of MANF.

Yet her ambitions remain grounded in the same principles that inspired the label's beginnings: thoughtful production, timeless design, and cultural authenticity. 

“I knew from the beginning that I wanted to create a high-end luxury brand. I've made many mistakes along the way, but that's how you learn. I'm not afraid of trying new things” – Sara Abdulrahman Almazroa

Occupying a distinctive place in Saudi Arabia’s emerging luxury landscape, MANF does not borrow established European codes of prestige. Instead, its founder is developing a visual identity rooted in her own cultural background, making it both accessible and appealing to a global audience. 

MANF demonstrates to emerging talents everywhere that the future of luxury need not look to Paris or Milan for inspiration. The key is to find your own “old wooden door”—a gateway to a deeper, more personal source of ideas.

Edoardo Passacantando
Editor and Author