The Mansoojat Foundation Collection
The Mansoojat Foundation is a UK-registered charity established by a group of Saudi Arabian women who share a deep interest in the traditional costumes and heritage of Saudi Arabia. The foundation’s mission is to preserve and revive the traditional costumes, textiles, and embroidery of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; to promote and conduct academic research on the history and culture of the region; and to raise public awareness of this unique heritage.
The Mansoojat Foundation has amassed a collection of approximately 1,400 costume items, many of which have required extensive restoration. This collection showcases the rich diversity of traditional costumes, reflecting their social, geographical, and cultural contexts.
Documenting and classifying these costumes has involved years of meticulous research, field trips, and consultations with both academics and local experts. Given the vast regional diversity within Saudi Arabia, the foundation chose to collaborate with specialists from each region, leveraging their deep understanding of local history, culture, and traditions.
The costumes in the Mansoojat collection are organized by both tribal affiliation and geographical location, highlighting the unique cultural tapestry of Saudi Arabia. The geographical coverage of the collection varies, with some regions being more richly represented than others, based on the availability of costumes from donations and field trips.
The Mansoojat Foundation aims to provide an important introduction to the traditional costumes and heritage of Saudi Arabia, inspiring continued preservation and research efforts in this field.
Recent Collection Articles
Explore & discover the splendour of our collection
Asir velvet thobe
Asir, Southern Region Asir velvet thobe with front embroidered panels which recall the motifs of the hand painted decorations on the interiors of the traditional Asir homes. Asir, like the highlands of southern Hijaz, is traditionally a region of settled tribespeople. Peaks rise to 3,000 metres, and terraced farming is[...]
Asir floral printed thobe
Asir, Southern Region Asir, like the highlands of southern Hijaz, is traditionally a region of settled tribespeople. Peaks rise to 3,000 metres, and terraced farming is fed by both winter and summer rains. Buildings are tall, of both stone and mud. In Asir sarongs are worn beneath dresses, to conceal[...]
Al Baha man’s bidi aba
Al Baha, Southern Region The highland plateau atop the mountain escarpment is green and fertile. It is a land of terraced farms, juniper forests and rural buildings of both stone and mud. In these southern regions the tailoring was done by men. Al Baha man's bidi aba (cloak) made of[...]
Bani Malik little girl’s thobe
The Bani Malik Tribe Bani Malik little girl's thobe in black cotton fabric cut and embroidered in the same style as for an adult. Glass beads are interspersed along the embroidered panels. Neighbouring Bani Sa‘d to the south is the Bani Malik tribe. The decorative stonework of their architecture is[...]
Banik Malik thobe with embroidered side and front panels
The Bani Malik tribe Bani Malik thobe with embroidered side and front panels. The short sleeves are to allow for silver bracelets. The head veil is decorated with glass beads. Neighbouring Bani Sa‘d to the south is the Bani Malik tribe. The decorative stonework of their architecture is typical of[...]