Tala Abukhaled, IFM × Villa Hegra residency recipient

The Institut Français de la Mode is partnering with Villa Hegra, the Saudi Fashion Commission, and the Institut français de Riyadh to launch Villa Hegra's first fashion residency. Supported by Kering, the program runs from June to October 2026 across AlUla, Paris, and Riyadh.

Designed as a journey of research, creation, and production, the residency will support the recipient's development while championing contemporary work rooted in the Saudi context. Following a stay in AlUla, a working module at IFM in Paris, and a production phase in Riyadh, the project will be presented at Riyadh Fashion Week in October 2026.

This residency is the second initiative led by IFM as part of the "Viva Villa" network, supported by the French Ministry of Culture.

The first recipient is Tala Abukhaled, founder of the brand REBIRTH, established in 2021. She begins her residency at Villa Hegra in June 2026, before joining IFM's Paris campus for a final development phase. The residency will conclude with a production sequence at The Lab — MiSK City, Saudi Arabia's first fashion manufacturing space, developed by the Fashion Commission.