From research and sketchbooks to the shelves of the Diriyah Biennale Design Store, here's a look behind the scenes of our collaboration with the Diriyah Biennale Foundation.
A Collaboration Rooted in Place
Earlier this year, we had the opportunity to collaborate with the Diriyah Biennale Foundation to create a collection of four exclusive products inspired by Saudi Arabia and the historic city of Diriyah.
The Diriyah Biennale took place from January 30 to May 2, bringing together artists, designers, and visitors from around the world. Being invited to contribute to the Biennale Design Store was an exciting opportunity for us; not only as designers, but as people who love creating products that tell stories.
Where Every Project Begins
Before we sketch anything, we research.
For this collection, we spent time learning about Diriyah, its history, architecture, culture, and visual identity. We wanted the products to feel connected to the place they represented and to create something meaningful rather than simply placing artwork onto garments.
Once we felt confident in our direction, we moved into our usual process: sketching ideas, refining concepts, digitizing illustrations, and developing the final artwork.
Bringing the Collection to Life
After finalizing the designs, our attention shifted to the retail experience.
Since the collection would be displayed inside the Diriyah Biennale Design Store, we modeled the space and planned how the products would be presented. Seeing a project through from concept to display is one of our favourite parts of the design process, and this collaboration gave us the chance to think beyond the products themselves.
When production was complete and the products arrived, we carefully reviewed every piece, performed quality checks, and made sure everything met our standards before heading to Riyadh.
Seeing the Final Result
There is always a special moment when months of research, sketching, revisions, and production finally become something tangible.
Walking into the Biennale Design Store and seeing the collection on display was exactly that moment.
What started as ideas on a screen and pages in a sketchbook had become a finished collection available to visitors attending one of Saudi Arabia's most significant cultural events.
Watch the Journey
We've documented the entire process from the early research and illustrations to product development, quality checks, and the final store installation.
You can watch the full journey on our Instagram or TikTok, follow us to know more!
Thank You, Riyadh!
To everyone who visited the Diriyah Biennale Design Store, supported the collection, or followed along throughout the process, thank you.
Projects like this remind us why we started NEARTWINS in the first place: to create playful, thoughtful design inspired by stories, places, and people.
We hope you enjoyed this collaboration as much as we enjoyed creating it.