CDF Showcases Saudi Handicrafts At Selfridges London To Promote Local Artisans

The Cultural Development Fund (CDF) is presenting a collection by Saudi artisans at Selfridges London, a top luxury retail spot. From June 3 to 22, 2025, this event will highlight the cultural and economic significance of Saudi handicrafts. It offers local artisans and cultural entrepreneurs an international platform to display their work to a global audience.

In collaboration with Turquoise Mountain, a global non-profit focused on reviving traditional arts, the showcase features handcrafted pieces in a dedicated space at Selfridges. The display draws inspiration from Saudi Arabia's natural and architectural heritage. It highlights items crafted from locally sourced, sustainable materials, reimagined through a modern creative lens.

The collection includes palm handicrafts, jewellery, accessories, and leather crafts made by artisans from across the Kingdom. This diverse range represents the richness of Saudi artisanship. Running alongside this is a Saudi fashion showcase at Selfridges, also supported by CDF in partnership with the Saudi Fashion Commission.

This fashion showcase features a curated lineup of Saudi brands—beneficiaries of CDF and the Saudi 100 Brands initiative—displaying their collections next to Selfridges' leading international labels. The initiative underscores the dynamism and rapid growth of Saudi Arabia’s cultural sector.

Through this multifaceted activation, CDF aims to empower artisans and cultural entrepreneurs to present their work on an international stage. It seeks to stimulate investment in the handicrafts and fashion sectors while enhancing the global visibility of Saudi heritage during the Year of Handicrafts.

The showcase builds on CDF's ongoing efforts for the Year of Handicrafts. These initiatives aim to strengthen the Saudi cultural sector by maximizing the economic and social contributions of traditional crafts. They also seek to broaden their reach both locally and globally.

Nurturing Cultural Enterprises

A significant milestone in these efforts is the recent launch of Nama' Accelerators: Handicrafts Track—a dedicated enablement solution supporting cultural businesses through specialized training, mentorship, and financial incentives. Nama’ fosters community growth by developing scalable enterprises that enhance innovation and enrich national identity.

Through Nama' and other enablement solutions, CDF continues to bolster the creative entrepreneurial ecosystem. This ensures that traditional crafts thrive as both cultural treasures and engines of economic growth in Saudi Arabia's broader economic diversification strategy.

With inputs from SPA