With the entry of the Saudi streetwear brand 1886 into the United Kingdom’s luxury retail sector, the company’s range is now available at the department store Selfridges in Oxford Street. The launch of 1886 has been an achievement not only for the store but also for the company’s co-founders, Fahad Al-Jomiah and Khalid Al-Jammaz, who initially came up with the idea of establishing a clothing brand while studying in the British capital a decade ago.
The launch at the physical store falls within the framework of the “Saudi: Sky’s the Limit” programme, which will be held in the Corner Shop until September 5. The programme features more than 20 Saudi companies operating in the fashion, cosmetics, and cuisine industries.
For 1886, establishing a footprint inside Selfridges coincides directly with its tenth anniversary. The company originated in 2016 in Riyadh, taking its name from the dorm room numbers—18 and 86—occupied by the co-founders during their student years in London. Lacking formal backgrounds in apparel manufacturing, Al-Jomiah and Al-Jammaz sought to merge global urban subcultures, contemporary art, and music into a refined Saudi fashion narrative.
At the time of the label’s founding, Saudi Arabia’s domestic streetwear market was virtually non-existent. The brand’s early operational challenge centred on changing local consumer perceptions and establishing credibility against established international labels. Over the past decade, 1886 built trust by focusing on design identity and product quality, expanding its product line from basic streetwear items to comprehensive collections featuring hoodies, customised denim, tailored dresses, and lifestyle accessories.
The move into the UK capital follows the label’s international expansion into Paris last year, where it launched a specialised capsule collection created specifically for the French market. For its London entry, however, the executive team decided against creating market-specific modifications, opting instead to present its primary collection.
Company leadership emphasised that global consumers, alongside London’s established community of Saudi travelers and residents, engage more authentically with brands that maintain their original heritage rather than altering designs for individual markets. Moving forward, the Riyadh-headquartered enterprise intends to maintain a targeted expansion strategy, focusing on high-tier international department stores and multi-brand retailers to build long-term brand value.
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