Despite living in a conservative social environment, Muslim fashion designers have dared to reinvigorate their dress code with modern elements of style. Consider Sarah Binhejaila, the Saudi fashion entrepreneur who started her haute couture brand, Niyaah, after studying fashion in the west.
According to Binhejaila, it was a struggle to find any fashionable clothing when she took up the hijab (a headcovering). Perhaps this “ordeal for dressing” was the reason that Binhejaila began her studies in fashion design. Today, rather than accept the commonplace dark robe, Binhejaila designs single-layer “complete wear” – offering Muslim women a fashionable alternative.
The Arab Peninsula has long produced intricate embroidery and embellishment in women’s clothing. But with the enforcement of Shariah law abaya (the long black robe for Muslim women), the rich craft of embroidery and use of colors in Islamic clothing fell by the wayside. Binhejaila’s complete wear collection, rich in color and floral prints, is an endeavor to bring back a festive spirit into clothing, while maintaining the dignity of Islamic dress code.
From laced satin and flower-tucked jackets in white to a stylishly hooded abaya with large buttons – Binhejaila is proving that she can blend the west with east. Undoubtedly, this collection was designed with U.S. and U.K. Muslims in mind.
