Utilizing Hejazi Architectural Heritage in Contemporary Fashion Design

(An Applied Study on Rowshan Ornaments)

Abstract

The study aims to develop contemporary women’s fashion designs inspired by the architectural ornamentation of the Hejazi rowshan, as a heritage element rich in aesthetic, geometric, and cultural values within Hejazi architecture. It also seeks to employ these ornaments as adaptable design units in fashion, thereby integrating architectural heritage into contemporary clothing, achieving a balance between authenticity and modernity, and reinforcing Saudi cultural identity. The research adopts both the descriptive-analytical and quasi-experimental approaches. The descriptive-analytical method is used to examine the rowshan in terms of its historical origins, environmental and social functions, and its structural and decorative characteristics, in addition to analyzing its geometric patterns based on repetition, symmetry, and rhythm. The quasi-experimental approach is applied to generate decorative units inspired by the rowshan, reformulate them to suit textile materials and modern production techniques, and implement them in digital fashion designs using CLO 3D software. The research tool consists of an evaluation questionnaire designed to assess ten proposed designs across three dimensions: aesthetic, functional, and heritage aspects. The questionnaire is administered to a purposive sample of 17 specialists in fashion design and related fields. The findings indicate that the Hejazi rowshan represents a flexible design system that can be analyzed and reinterpreted, with its motifs effectively applied in contemporary fashion to achieve visual appeal and rhythmic balance while maintaining functionality. The results also highlight its role in enhancing cultural identity and supporting cultural sustainability through the reinterpretation of architectural heritage in contemporary forms aligned with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030.