"New love for old things", the retro trend sweeps Saudi young people

According to foreign media reports, collecting antiques and vintage items is becoming increasingly popular among Saudi millennials and Generation Z. These young people believe that buying and reusing these vintage clothing, accessories and home furnishings is an expression of new personality, uniqueness and self-awareness.

In Saudi Arabia, second-hand items are usually recycled through charities. Although this type of business has not yet matured in Saudi Arabia, the situation is beginning to change as young people's attitudes towards second-hand products change. On Instagram, you can find many stores selling such items, of course, the prices vary.

Reem Aba Alkhayl is one of these Instagram sellers. Aba Alkhayl graduated from the University of Otago in New Zealand with a degree in Saudi fashion design, and now she is the owner of a vintage boutique. In 2020, she founded her own online vintage boutique La Reema, which mainly sells some modern and vintage clothing, jewelry, wallets and accessories.

Aba Alkhayl believes that cherishing vintage items is not only for their beauty and practicality, but also a response to the waste and environmental unrest of fast fashion. She said: "Although my initial interest in vintage was inspired by my appreciation of design, history and individuality, I was also attracted by its sustainability, which is one of the important measures to protect the environment."

As an antique lover and collector, Aba Alkhayl has established connections with antique shops and antique sellers around the world, including the UK, the US, France, Italy and Russia. In addition, she will carefully study the stories of these vintage objects themselves, researching the maker, brand, style and origin of each piece, and try to pass on this history to the next owner.

Ghaida and Ghadeer Alaliwi, who also run a vintage trading business, focus on antique cups. In 2016, they founded Le Rovine Concerto, Saudi Arabia’s first store specializing in antique hand-painted tea and coffee cups .

“In Saudi Arabia, almost everyone has their own way of enjoying a drink, especially in a fancy cup,” they said.

The rise of the vintage trend is related to several factors , including the economy, changing consumer attitudes towards second-hand goods, and the extensive use of vintage elements in global fashion design. Social media has also played a role in fueling this "eco-fashion" and sustainable economy.

According to a recent report by Thred Up, a second-hand clothing platform, the entire second-hand market is expected to grow to twice the size of fast fashion by 2029. In this powerful wave of retro fashion, millennials and Generation Z are considered to be a major force. Data shows that there are more than 18 million users in London's retro shopping apps, 90% of whom are under the age of 26.

middle East

Saudi Arabia