- Title: 'Modest' fashion show celebrates hijab on the catwalk
- Date: 22nd October 2017
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) FASHION DESIGNER FROM OMAN, AMAL AL RAISI, SAYING: "Modest clothing is now fashionable and there is now a lot of focus on these clothes, and this is an opportunity for Arab designers to stand out and showcase their talents to these parts of the world."
- Embargoed: 5th November 2017 11:15
- Keywords: Modest Fashion festival Halima Aden Moroccan designer Middle east fashion designers hijabi model H&M model Mariah Idrissi Muslim fashion
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Fashion
- Reuters ID: LVA0067448PQT
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Seven designers showcased their collections in London on Saturday (October 21) at a "modest" fashion show that organisers said was aimed at injecting glamour into the hijab.
The seven participants came from Oman, Morocco, Britain and Indonesia.
The collections were designed for women wanting to dress fashionably, but without showing too much skin.
"The collection that we have presented at the Modest Fashion Show is a collection of Moroccan kaftans which are in fashion, relevant to this modern age, relevant to the new trends in attendance. I worked with transparent fabrics and it was all handmade," said Moroccan designer, Meryem Boussikouk.
The highlight of the show was American Halima Aden, the first supermodel in a hijab who has walked the catwalk at New York and Milan fashion weeks in the head covering.
The former refugee made headlines as the first hijab- and burkini-sporting contestant to take part in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant. The bold move catapulted her career to new heights involving many "firsts", including being the first hijab signed by a major modelling agency.
Aden said her Islamic faith was compatible with being a fashion model.
"Muslim women love fashion. If you go to the streets of Dubai, it would not be uncommon to see a Chanel bag associated with a hijab. So it's just a matter of now incorporating Muslim women on the catwalks," said the 20-year-old supermodel.
Designer Amal al Raisi, from Oman, said the show was an opportunity for Arab designers to make their mark globally, as "modest fashion" was in vogue the world over.
"Modest clothing is now fashionable and there is now a lot of focus on these clothes, and this is an opportunity for Arab designers to stand out and showcase their talents to these parts of the world," she said.
Among the guests was Mariah Idrissi who became the first model in a model for clothing brand H&M. She said models in hijab sent out a positive message about Muslims like herself.
"I think it's so powerful because through entertainment, through fashion, these are really subtle ways of obviously promoting, not just the fashion side but people as well, so whoever has these misinterpretations of what Islam represents, if there are role models who are out there, who happen to wear hijab, it just makes things a lot easier for us," said Idrissi.
Members of the audience also praised the show.
"Because I am always going out and searching for clothes and I can't find the right clothes. I want the Westernised look as well as to be modest at the same time. I think this was really good," said Rehana Saghir-Ahmed.
"It was great to see her (Halima Aden). It's nice to see a top model with hijab, in such a diverse way, again in London," said Allyah Abbas.
In the past two years, the hijab has gone mainstream with advertisers, media giants and fashion firms promoting images of the traditional headscarf in ever more ways. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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