The inaugural edition of the AlUla Design Award, which launched an open call, for creatives from Saudi Arabia and the broader Middle East to participate in the competition, has concluded. Now, the winners across various categories have been announced.
The event with saw 437 submissions, picked 18 finalists, from which the final six winners were chosen for the AlUla Design Awards, these include:
- Reem Bashawri: Reem is a Saudi-based designer, who won for proposing a line of luxurious winter shawls that echo the beauty of AlUla.
- Nour Shourbagy: Nour is also a Saudi-based designer, who proposed a collection of travel carry-ons and clutches inspired by AlUla’s natural aesthetics and motifs.
- Niko Kapa: Based in Dubai, Niko is a Greek, who was chosen for his proposed collection of accessories inspired by the natural landscapes of AlUla.
- Harry Dobbs x Rukun: This was a collaboration between a British and Saudi design studio, and was adjudicated winner on the strength of their proposal for a distinctive set of artifacts that capture AlUla’s spirit and memory.
- Teeb by Mohamad Baalbaki x AlJoharah AlRasheed: Another Saudi-based studio took the accolades for proposing a collection of products evoking all five senses with an interaction between play, and memory.
- Tarek Elkassouf: A Lebanese designer based in Australia, Tarek won for proposing a collection of gifts crafted by traditional artisans.
The winners were picked by a select jury from the VIP Gifting and Commercial Retail categories.
The AlUla Design Award ceremony was held at the Saudi Design Festival in JAX District, Diriyah, Riyadh, on January 26.
