As the Crown Prince's ambitious plans for Vision 2030 draw closer, Generation Z will be the first to experience the country's unorthodox new reality.
Saudi Arabia’s sense of optimism appears to be infectious – while much of the world deals with the negative shocks of the pandemic, young people are highly positive about the future, with 98% saying the Kingdom’s economy is heading in the right direction (source: Asda’a BCW).
This puts great pressure on brands operating in the country, as the need to create spaces for youth culture to flourish becomes increasingly crucial. As Sunil John, president of Burson, Cohn & Wolfe (BCW) MENA region, points out: ‘Regional decision-makers have a tremendous responsibility to ensure the ambitions of their young people are fulfilled.’
Slower consumption
Saudi Arabia is one of the world’s largest oil giants, possessing about 17% of the world’s petroleum reserves (source: OPEC). Although the nation recently pledged to become net zero by 2060, it has no oil exit plan, making it a country with a complicated relationship with sustainability.
It's also the country with the lowest penetration of ‘eco-active’ shoppers, at just 7% of households, according to a global study by Kantar. But with a new generation on the horizon, sustainability attitudes are poised to change as worldly, social media-savvy teenagers establish retail solutions designed to slow down consumption habits.
The Kingdom’s antique and vintage market is on the rise, challenging the convoy of fast fashion that recently entered the market – including Shein, Boohoo and PrettyLittleThing. While second-hand items would normally be recycled through charities, young people are now spotlighting forgotten fashion, accessories and homeware on Instagram stores. ‘Perhaps the severe pandemic period inspired people to work creatively to counter the difficult circumstances imposed by the pandemic,’ explain cousins Ghaida and Ghadeer Alaliwi, founders of Le Rovine Concerto, a vintage gallery shop.
For Reem Aba Alkhayl, a fashion design graduate and owner of La Reema vintage boutique in Jeddah, second-hand shopping is part of her identity. ‘While an appreciation for design, history and individuality sparked my initial interest in vintage, I’m also drawn to the sustainable attributes as an added step toward supporting the environment.’
