Saudi couturier Tima Abid opened the third edition of Riyadh Fashion Week, which debuted a spectacular open-air runway venue tucked into a red rock canyon, and abuzz with drone cameras.

Opening her display with models shrouded in dramatic layers of black hoods, capes and gowns, Abid told an affecting story of loss, grief and stoicism, bursting into tears and covering her face when she took her bow to a standing ovation. (The designer recently lost her mother, and her friends and family encouraged her to go on with the show.)

It takes a minute to adjust to the regional affection for showy fabrics, shoulder-duster earrings, long trains and big helpings of crystal and lace. The opening night of the six-day showcase was dedicated to couture designers, and guests and clients came dressed to the hilt as they would during Paris Couture Week.

The shows here unfurl at a more leisurely pace than during European fashion weeks, and just when you think you’ve seen the finale look, a dozen more spectacular creations trundle out.

Abid balances her decorative proclivities with geometric rigor, her more austere silhouettes sometimes reminiscent of midcentury couture greats such as Cristóbal Balenciaga, Paco Rabanne and Pierre Cardin.

She likes to demarcate lines on the body with panels of sheer, rows of crystals or shiny discs, which adds a modern sheen and off-kilter tension to her designs.

At least half of the collection was done in black, but her designs teemed with surface interest and impressive workmanship.

Abid said the inspiration behind this collection “lies in the chaos that surrounds us, a reflection of how human emotions and thoughts can be transformed into art, fabric, and form.”