With Riyadh Fashion Week 2026 postponed, we’re taking a look back at some of the most eccentric looks that graced its runways in previous years. Because while fashion can be about wearability, sometimes the most memorable collections are the ones that make you stop, stare, and wonder how anyone came up with that idea in the first place.
From theatrical silhouettes to couture that turns emotion into something you can actually see, these designers have shown that fashion doesn’t always need to play it safe. Sometimes, the bigger the statement, the better.
Atelier Hekayat (2025)
Atelier Hekayat brought a whole lot of drama to Riyadh Fashion Week 2025, transforming the opening night into a theatrical spectacle. Built around a striking black-and-white palette, the collection played with contrasts, pairing sharp tailoring with sweeping silhouettes and fluid capes that seemed to have a life of their own.
The look pictured here takes that theatrical approach somewhere even more unexpected. A voluminous, kimono-like cape covered in red-and-white prints meets matching layered trousers, while bright red gloves, a sculptural black bow, and tiny oval sunglasses turn the outfit into a character of its own. The playful mix of proportions and accessories feels almost like a fashion illustration brought to life.
It’s eccentric without being random, with every element contributing to the overall effect. Rather than simply dressing the body, Atelier Hekayat uses clothing to create a presence, proving that sometimes an outfit can be less about fitting in and more about commanding the room.
Tima Abid (2025)
Tima Abid took a more emotional route with Grief as Grace SS26, presented during Riyadh Fashion Week 2025. The collection explored the relationship between loss, womanhood, and resilience, translating deeply personal grief into intricate couture. Before the show, guests found black fans bearing a tribute to the designer’s mother, setting the tone for a collection that was as intimate as it was visually striking.
Velvet, sequins, lace, and elaborate embellishments came together in designs that balanced softness with drama. The look pictured here pushes that approach to an extraordinary level: an almost entirely white ensemble covered in textured floral appliqués and delicate detailing, finished with a sculptural, oversized headpiece and a veil that frames the face like a piece of wearable architecture.
The silhouette is striking partly because it conceals as much as it reveals. The exaggerated headpiece, intricate surface textures, and sheer layers transform a traditional couture look into something closer to a living sculpture. Yet beneath all that visual drama is a deeply personal story. It’s a reminder that eccentric fashion doesn’t have to be loud in colour or outrageous for the sake of it; sometimes, its power lies in making an emotion impossible to ignore.
ArAm (2025)
ArAm took its audience on a whimsical trip to the sea with a prêt-à-porter collection that brought sailor style into high-end womenswear. Blue-and-white stripes, classic plaids, and fluid tailoring gave the looks a distinctly nautical feel, but the accessories were where things got interesting.
One standout look featured a red-and-white striped sleeveless top printed with a cruise ship and marine imagery, paired with matching striped trousers. The model carried a bright red fringed bag shaped around a life preserver and, for the ultimate commitment to the theme, held up a phone on a selfie stick as she walked the runway.
It was a playful take on seaside dressing that went well beyond the usual sailor-inspired stripes. Between the oversized maritime graphics and the theatrical accessories, ArAm treated the nautical theme as a full-on fashion fantasy. Because if you’re going to dress for a voyage, why stop at the outfit when you can bring the entire scene with you?
RBA (2025)
For its 2025 collection, RBA, the label by designer Rakhaa Bin Ahmed, looked to the Arabian and Saudi deserts for inspiration, drawing on the landscape’s warm tones, natural textures, and cultural symbolism. The collection blended bohemian elegance with a contemporary interpretation of heritage, bringing together the warmth of the desert sun and the striking presence of the falcon.
One particularly memorable look featured a model wrapped in layers of flowing, textured ivory fabric, with a hooded head covering that gave the silhouette an almost otherworldly quality. A cream shawl printed with black geometric symbols added another layer of visual interest, while the falcon perched on the model’s gloved hand brought the collection’s central inspiration to life.
The result was a look that felt part desert nomad, part modern-day falconer, with the bird becoming an essential part of the runway presentation. Rather than relying on an elaborate silhouette alone, RBA used styling and symbolism to create something that stood out. It was a reminder that eccentric fashion can come from an unexpected combination of elements, especially when a designer takes a familiar cultural reference and gives it a striking visual expression.
Tima Abid (2024)
Tima Abid made a striking impression at Riyadh Fashion Week 2024 with a collection that brought Saudi craftsmanship into conversation with modern, statement-making design. Known for her intricate embroidery and distinctive approach to traditional clothing, the designer played with bold cuts, rich shades of red, black, and brown, and silhouettes that were anything but ordinary.
Two looks in particular took the drama up a notch. One featured a striking red gown with a sheer hood, flowing layers of fabric, and a large, circular black structure that concealed much of the model’s torso. Long, ribbon-like strands fell from the piece, turning the outfit into something closer to wearable sculpture than your usual eveningwear. In another look, a floor-length black cloak enveloped the model almost entirely, with sharp black spikes and gold embellishments radiating around the face and cascading down the front.
Both looks leaned into the theatrical side of fashion, using shape, texture, and embellishment to command attention. The collection’s femininity and craftsmanship were still there, but with a more experimental edge. And that’s the fun of eccentric fashion: it takes familiar elements and pushes them somewhere unexpected.
MD29 (2024)
MD29’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection brings a fresh dose of eccentricity to everyday dressing, proving that even the most familiar wardrobe staples can have a runway-worthy moment. The collection plays with strong cuts and statement silhouettes, balancing an understated sense of elegance with a more experimental approach to design.
One of our favorite looks is a classic plaid shirt paired with a blue denim skirt, but look a little closer and things get interesting. The shirt is layered and reworked with an exaggerated, almost sculptural collar, while the denim skirt transforms into a dramatic, asymmetrical silhouette with flared panels that move with every step. The blue denim corset-like waist adds another dimension, breaking up the plaid and creating a striking contrast between the two fabrics.
What makes the look work is its refusal to be just one thing. It’s part preppy, part utilitarian, and part avant-garde, with the oversized shapes giving otherwise familiar pieces a completely different attitude. Nothing feels overly polished or predictable, and that’s precisely the point. MD29 takes everyday dressing and gives it a little disruption, showing that eccentric fashion doesn’t always need sequins, outrageous colours, or head-to-toe drama. Sometimes, all it takes is rethinking a shirt and a denim skirt.
KAF (2023)
Who knew a trip to the farmer’s market could inspire a runway moment? For its Spring/Summer 2024 collection presented at Riyadh Fashion Week, KAF by KAF took inspiration from Alrabwah Farmer’s Market, one of Riyadh’s oldest markets, transforming the colors, textures, and produce of everyday market life into playful fashion statements.
Created by Saudi designer Kawthar Alhoraish, the collection was a celebration of color, creativity, and the unexpected. Think vibrant fruit-inspired accessories, botanical details, and silhouettes that bring a little theatricality to the runway.
One look that perfectly captures the collection’s spirit features a sculptural headpiece bursting with pomegranates, citrus fruits, greenery, and spiky botanical accents. Paired with a black outfit striped in bright yellow, the headpiece turns fresh produce into a full-on fashion statement. It’s bold, colorful, and just eccentric enough to make you look twice.
Another standout takes the concept from head to toe, with a pale yellow, sheer knitted dress finished with an oversized bunch of bananas wrapped around the ankle. It’s an unexpected styling choice that transforms a familiar fruit into wearable sculpture, blurring the line between clothing, accessories, and art.
What makes these looks work is that they don’t take themselves too seriously. Instead of treating eccentricity as a gimmick, KAF by KAF builds an entire visual language around an everyday source of inspiration. The result? Fashion that feels playful, culturally rooted, and refreshingly unafraid to stand out.
Eccentric fashion isn’t necessarily about being the loudest person in the room. It’s about challenging expectations, playing with proportions, and finding new ways to look at pieces we thought we already knew. Whether through unexpected silhouettes, unusual styling, or a complete rethink of everyday dressing, these are the looks that keep fashion interesting. And with Riyadh Fashion Week’s next chapter on hold for now, there’s no better time to revisit the designers and collections that dared to be different. After all, playing it safe may be easy, but fashion was never meant to be boring.
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