An Italian-Saudi Encounter In Art, Fashion and Film

Italian fashion’s global legacy and the visual poetry of Italian cinema

In a beautifully curated dialogue between culture and craft, the L’Art Pur Foundation in Riyadh has opened two complementary exhibitions in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Riyadh, titled Fashion Frames and Passages of Light. These exhibitions present a layered reflection on Italian fashion’s global legacy and the visual poetry of Italian cinema through Saudi Arabia’s ever-expanding art scene.

Why this matters for Riyadh

The exhibition arrives at a moment when Riyadh itself is shaping new paths as a cultural capital, one that embraces international conversation while building its own creative identity. L’Art Pur has been a pioneer in this ecosystem, and by partnering with the Italian Embassy the gallery underscores the role of culture as bridge-builder.

For visitors this is not simply a showcase of glamour and nostalgia. The dresses tell stories of cinema, of women who wore them, of ateliers behind the seams, of how fashion crossed borders. The photographs invite contemplation of the hidden frames behind motion pictures, of light as material, of moments frozen. In Riyadh’s world of rapid change, those stories feel timely and resonant.

What you’ll feel when you walk in

Entering the gallery you step into a space where haute-couture meets the pulse of Saudi Arabia. The hush of the halls, the spotlight on each garment, the low hum of dialogue from montage to metadata. You may sense how the curators are inviting you to look beyond surface beauty, to trace the craftsmanship, the cultural shifts, the intertwining of film and fashion. In one room you might see an Audrey Hepburn-era gown floating on mannequin, in the next a still from a Fellini set where light and shadow perform.These works are not relics. They are conversations. Riyadh, through them, becomes part of a narrative that spans Milan, Rome and now the desert capital.

A moment of cross-cultural resonance

According to the Italian Ambassador Carlo Baldocci, the exhibition reflects “the strong ties between our countries” and the potential of culture as diplomacy. The language of style here becomes a language of connection, of mutual aspiration. In a Kingdom ramping up its cultural infrastructure, this event stands as evidence of the power of exchange.

The details you need to know

• Where: L’Art Pur Foundation, Takhassusi Street, Riyadh.

• When: From 11 November 2025 until 30 November 2025.

• What to see:

  • Fashion Frames – curated by Stefano Dominella and styled by Guillermo Mariotto, features around 45 historic couture dresses drawn from private and archival collections, including works by Valentino, Giorgio Armani, Romeo Gigli and more.

  • Passages of Light – a photographic journey by Mimmo Cattarinich, who spent decades capturing Italian film sets and icons. The works explore the border-line between illusion and memory, film and reality.