Two young Saudi females received much attention at the “Ramadanna Kida” festival that is currently being held in the historic part of downtown Jeddah. The two girls were wearing golden burqas—elaborately designed facemasks that are popular in the UAE but not in Saudi. What made their choice surprising, however, is that many visitors at the festival were buying this particular type of burqa. Mohammad Baqayis, owner of the booth selling the facemasks, said that he stocked them with the idea of introducing something different. He did not, at first, expect people would buy them. The idea has, however, caught on and many people are buying them. He said he gets them from the UAE and sells them for SR50. Hanna Abdullah was one potential buyer. She is a photographer and uses them to take traditional photos. Bagais also sells female hijazi clothes and prayer mats. He designs the products and sells them from home. He also participates in exhibitions to promote his products to a wider range of buyers. Amina Mohammad also has a shop in the festival and has been trading for 10 years. Her method of marketing her goods have changed considerably in recent years. In the past, she used to depend on family members and friends who would promote her good by word of mouth. She now uses social media to advertise what she sells. Amina sells different handmade goods including trays to serve sweets and savories at weddings and parties. What is special about her products is that they are made in a traditional fashion. Amina has also designed products designed with the logos of famous Saudi football teams and other souvenirs which underscore Saudi culture. At another stall was Hind Al-Ghaith, a Saudi woman who has been mixing perfumes for 18 years. She has, however, given her business a new twist for the festival. She prints names and photos on the bottles of her perfumes according to her clients' requests. She also has on offer different types of Oud and perfumes made from flower. She noted that Ramadan is a peak season as many people tend to give Oud and other perfumes as gifts to family members. As a result, she prepares in advance for this time of the year. Al-Ghaith selects excellent quality of perfumes which she then mixes, packs and prepares for buyers who then only need to decide bottles and the decorations according to their choice.
