By Prerna Mankad
Islamic Fashion Set to Be the Next Big Thing
Picture "women's Islamic fashion." If you imagined a plain, black burqa,
or even a black abaya accompanied by a niqab, you may be envisaging an
outfit that could soon be a relic of the past. That's because the
women's Islamic fashion industry around the world is taking off -- in a
big way. Aside from introducing abayas decorated with crystal beads, pearls, embroidery, satin flowers and other
colorful adornments, designers are introducing dramatic new styles,
fabrics, and colors to Islamic fashion. For instance, British designer
Sophia Kara offers an outfit composed of a "hooded abaya with a matching niqab, or face
veil, in shocking pink over a salwar, or loose pants, printed with an
ornate English floral motif" as part of her Imaan Collections. High-end
designers including Hermes and Gucci are also trying to break into the Muslim fashion industry with scarves and other products.
What's the attraction? Perhaps it's about encouraging women to
"experiment ... with ways to feel happy about themselves while holding
on proudly to their faith," as Raja Rezza Shah, entrepreneur and
director of the Islamic Fashion Festival, says. Perhaps even more than that, it's about the bottom line: The global Muslim fashion industry is estimated to be worth at least $96 billion, assuming that half the world's 1.6
billion Muslims dress modestly, and that they spend $120 a year (a
conservative estimate) on this type of clothing. Some outfits even sell for $10,000 -- which is not all that surprising considering that several
of the key markets for the Islamic fashion industry include oil-rich states like the
United Arab Emirates -- and Muslim fashion shows have have been held in
places from Tehran to Jakarta to the United States.
Islamic fashion is also not just restricted to Muslims. As with the burqini, which
has gained popularity amongst non-Muslims, Muslim styles have begun to
influence European street fashion. I'm willing to bet that is an
industry that's got a pretty bright future.
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