The much awaited DSS 2008 Signature Event – Sheila and Abaya Fashion opened to a flock of fashion enthusiasts in BurJuman, a key sponsor of DSS 2008, on Thursday, August 07, as some of the prominent designers in the GCC prepared to showcase the latest trends in sheilas and abayas.
The opening witnessed an overwhelming attendance by visitors and shoppers alike, in addition to an unprecedented Media turnout, filling the “Pavilion Gardens” on the third floor of Burjuman with tens of cameras and journalists from all over the region. The shows of the first day were also attended by Suhaila Gubash, Events manager at the Dubai Shopping Festival Office, in addition to a host of fashion guests, designers.
Amina Al Jassim, a prominent Saudi Arabian fashion designer and renowned Omani designer, Khadija Al Lamki, showcased their collections to mark the opening of the third edition of Sheila and Abaya Fashion.
Amina Al Jassim’s creations reflected her characteristic use of simple designs focusing on functionality while Khadija Al Lamki, an award-winning designer, displayed her expertise in the use of silk and intricate designs in abayas.
Shows for Saturday, August 9
Shows on August 9 feature the collections of HANAYEN, a leading fashion label for abayas in the UAE, and Bahraini designer, Ayesha Ali Yateem. HANAYEN was established in 1990 by Nader Nouraei at Al Ghurair City and the company has since grown to retail in sheilas and abayas in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Sharjah, and Oman.
Ayesha Ali Yateem graduated in Interior Design from American University, Dubai, in 2006 and thereafter pursued a fashion design course in London School of Fashion Design. Fully occupied with her family establishment, Al Bait Al Bahraini LLC, the designer aims to tap into the high-end markets.
The Qur'an states that women should dress modestly in the presence of unfamiliar men.
| Gulf-styleAbaya |  | A type of outer garment from the Gulf or Khaleej region of the Middle East which covers from the head to the feet. It is also becoming increasingly common amongst the conservative women of Pakistan. Traditional abayas are black, and may be either a large square of fabric draped from the shoulders or head, or a long black caftan. |
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| Burqaبرقع |  | Also known as the Afghan Burqa. Covers the entire body and has a grille over the face that the woman looks through. May have slits for the hands. |
| Chador |  | An Iranian traditional outer garment that covers the head and body and is a full length semi-circle of fabric but comes down to the ground. Does not have slits for the hands and is held shut with the hands, teeth or simply wrapped under the arms. |
| Niqaabنقاب |  | A veil that covers the face and entire head but with a place cut out for the eyes. |
| Niqaab |  | A veil that is tied on at the bridge of the nose and falls to cover the lower face. Also called "half niqab". |
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| Tudung | Headscarf worn in Malaysia and Indonesia | |
Men also have to dress modestly.
| Igal |  | A part of the headdress for men. Often they are made of a black rope-like cord. They are worn atop the head to help keep the ghutra secured. |
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| Iḥrām | The name typically used to denote the clothing worn by a pilgrim during either the Hajj or Umra. For a male, the first part is the izar, a piece of cloth wrapped around to cover from the ankles to the abdomen. The second piece, called the reda, is draped over the shoulders to cover the upper body. The cloth is to be plain, white and unsewn. For women, typical and unpretentious clothes will be their iḥrām. | |
| Kuffiyya, Ghutra or Shmagh |  | A checkered scarf often tied with igal. Can be styled into a turban or worn loosely over the head. |
| Taqiyah (cap) |  | A crochet cap that covers most of the head. Worn by Arab men. It can also be a round, sewn cotton cap that is embellished with embroidery. InPakistan,India and Bangladesh it is called a topi. In West Africa, it is called a kufi. |
| Thawb |  | Or "thobe", a long, robe-like garment. Often white, symbolizing purity and light. |
