Inspired by AlUla heritage, Saudi artiste combines dates with fashion
I wanted each piece to be a link between the past and the present: Wijdan Al Faqiri
Cairo: A young Saudi artiste has drawn attention with her creative usage of palm dates to produce elegant key medallions matching stylish wear.
Wijdan Al Faqiri, a native of the ancient oasis AlUla governorate in north-western Saudi Arabia, initially made use of fallen dates on her father’s farm, which were usually neglected, and turned them into distinctive pieces of art.
In what can be described as a mummification process, she preserved them using special materials that prevented them from smelling musty.
This is not all, though. Wijdan also designs embroidered winter clothes inspired by AlUla heritage, drawing attention with their exquisite details.
"It started as a hobby," she said, referring to her unique journey. "But with time, I realised that I could turn my passion into a profession throbbing with authenticity. I wanted each piece to carry something from our heritage, and to be a link between the past and the present," Wijdan told the Saudi news portal Sabq.
She has named her project "Shaqila" after an ancient queen. The Shaqila products are displayed at an ongoing annual dates festival being held in AlUla that is also famous for premium dates.
There are more than 33 million palm trees across Saudi Arabia.
The exports of Saudi dates surged by 14% to hit SR1.4 billion last year to a total of 119 countries, according to the National Centre for Palms and Dates.
With palm dates being a principal Saudi product, the fruit has recently been transformed into sweet, nutritious tablets proving popular with children. Marketed in several tastes and colours, the tablets are made of ground dates powder with no artificial additives.
The sector significantly contributes to several transformational industries including food, medical and cosmetic products as well as fodder.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the kingdom in transformational industries as part of an ambitious plan to diversify oil-reliant economy.