Abdulrahman Al-Abed is quite the fashion storyteller, emblematic of how Saudi designers are celebrating their Bedouin roots, history and the desert lifestyle that helped shape how people here dress.

His eight-year-old Qormuz brand was one of several during Riyadh Fashion Week to exalt the robe- and cloak-based wardrobe in this part of the world, riffing on the bisht, thobe and farwa, the latter worn during winter months.

Al-Abed opened his transporting display with a man swathed in ragged sheepskin pelts, recalling the hardscrabble days of sustenance living in a harsh climate. A leather handbag slung from a sword telegraphed a more oblique message.

One model was accompanied by an adorable Saluki dog, an Arabian hound traditionally used for hunting, while others ferried oud burners or we

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