Abayas that mirror World Cup frenzy - Arab News
By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 10, 2010 03:04 Updated: Jun 10, 2010 03:04
JEDDAH: Even though the Saudi national football team has not qualified for the 2010 World Cup that is to begin in South Africa on Friday, Saudi designers are insisting on celebrating the tournament with flair with the launch of a new selection of abayas with World Cup themes.
Many Saudis and abaya designers are divided whether to welcome the abayas, which are brocaded with colorful fabric and logos of the different international teams participating in the tournament.
Rania Khogaer, a Saudi designer and design teacher at King Abdulaziz University, is leading the way with the new abayas.
Designing these World Cup abayas is a very normal and welcome step. Most of my students at university have asked me to specially design them I decided to design the abayas following requests from my students, children and their friends, she said.
My World Cup abayas are not un-Islamic. My abayas are traditional in that they are mainly black they cover the entire body except the face, feet and hands. Ive just added the World Cup teams logos and flags, she said.
Khogaer expects World Cup abayas to be very popular and expressed amazement at criticism, especially since cafés and malls are warming up to the World Cup frenzy by welcoming women and families to go and watch soccer matches.
With cafés and malls broadcasting matches during the World Cup, many families are planning to watch matches there. It would be very nice to watch matches while wearing World Cup abayas. In previous years, most young women and girls would wear other types of football accessories in the colors of their teams that are made for men. Wouldnt it be better if we launched special sports accessories for girls, she said.
She added that there is much demand for her abayas.
Ive designed abayas for all of the teams that are participating in the World Cup. Although Saudi Arabia has not qualified, Ive designed an abaya especially for them. Many of my costumers have told me that they are going to wear Saudi abayas, she added.
As we all know Algeria is the only Arab team that has qualified for the tournament. When I asked my customers about designing an Algerian abaya they expressed concern. Some of them refused to wear them because of the violence that was seen at matches between Algeria and Egypt, she said.
Members of the public and women designers are divided whether to welcome the abayas with some expressing concern that they cross social and religious boundaries.
I am shocked at how girls could wear such abayas at malls and café. I think theyre designed to show off and attract mens attention. These abayas encourage flirting inside cafés and malls, said Sarah Ahmad Mazhar, a Saudi designer.
Im not interested in designing them. I believe designers should respect society norms. These abayas cross the limit theyre aimed at a certain age group. My customers are aged 30 and over and I dont think they would be interested in wearing them. At the end of the day, football is for men and not for women, she added.
Mazhar also expressed concern the abayas may lead to rivalry among the supporters of different teams.
Tuhami Al-Arabi, another Saudi designer who is well-known for his modern designs, refused to design such abayas. I dont think they would be welcomed by Saudis. I think they would be very flashy and exaggerated. Abayas are designed to cover bodies and not indicate certain trends, he said.
He, however, said it is acceptable to design thobes with World Cup themes.
Mohammed Mansour, a salesman at an abaya store in Souk Al-Hijaz refused to sell such abayas. I will never sell World Cup abayas in my shop. I think theyre simply not proper for middle-class Saudi families, said Mansour.
Donia Tashkandi, a Saudi girl who supports Brazil, said she is extremely pleased with her new Brazil abaya. Ive loved football since I was a small child. Ive always supported Brazil in past World Cups. In the past, I used to watch matches in cafés with my dad and was able to wear football tops and carry flags. However, now that Im a little older the only way to support my favorite team is to wear these special abayas, she said.
Khogaer, meanwhile, is surprised at the criticism of her latest collection. We design special abayas for different occasions. For example, I designed a special collection for Ramadan, the Saudi National Day and the Haj. The World Cup is an international occasion. It is my right as a designer to celebrate this occasion differently.
By DIANA AL-JASSEM | ARAB NEWS
Published: Jun 10, 2010 03:04 Updated: Jun 10, 2010 03:04
JEDDAH: Even though the Saudi national football team has not qualified for the 2010 World Cup that is to begin in South Africa on Friday, Saudi designers are insisting on celebrating the tournament with flair with the launch of a new selection of abayas with World Cup themes.
Many Saudis and abaya designers are divided whether to welcome the abayas, which are brocaded with colorful fabric and logos of the different international teams participating in the tournament.
Rania Khogaer, a Saudi designer and design teacher at King Abdulaziz University, is leading the way with the new abayas.
Designing these World Cup abayas is a very normal and welcome step. Most of my students at university have asked me to specially design them I decided to design the abayas following requests from my students, children and their friends, she said.
My World Cup abayas are not un-Islamic. My abayas are traditional in that they are mainly black they cover the entire body except the face, feet and hands. Ive just added the World Cup teams logos and flags, she said.
Khogaer expects World Cup abayas to be very popular and expressed amazement at criticism, especially since cafés and malls are warming up to the World Cup frenzy by welcoming women and families to go and watch soccer matches.
With cafés and malls broadcasting matches during the World Cup, many families are planning to watch matches there. It would be very nice to watch matches while wearing World Cup abayas. In previous years, most young women and girls would wear other types of football accessories in the colors of their teams that are made for men. Wouldnt it be better if we launched special sports accessories for girls, she said.
She added that there is much demand for her abayas.
Ive designed abayas for all of the teams that are participating in the World Cup. Although Saudi Arabia has not qualified, Ive designed an abaya especially for them. Many of my costumers have told me that they are going to wear Saudi abayas, she added.
As we all know Algeria is the only Arab team that has qualified for the tournament. When I asked my customers about designing an Algerian abaya they expressed concern. Some of them refused to wear them because of the violence that was seen at matches between Algeria and Egypt, she said.
Members of the public and women designers are divided whether to welcome the abayas with some expressing concern that they cross social and religious boundaries.
I am shocked at how girls could wear such abayas at malls and café. I think theyre designed to show off and attract mens attention. These abayas encourage flirting inside cafés and malls, said Sarah Ahmad Mazhar, a Saudi designer.
Im not interested in designing them. I believe designers should respect society norms. These abayas cross the limit theyre aimed at a certain age group. My customers are aged 30 and over and I dont think they would be interested in wearing them. At the end of the day, football is for men and not for women, she added.
Mazhar also expressed concern the abayas may lead to rivalry among the supporters of different teams.
Tuhami Al-Arabi, another Saudi designer who is well-known for his modern designs, refused to design such abayas. I dont think they would be welcomed by Saudis. I think they would be very flashy and exaggerated. Abayas are designed to cover bodies and not indicate certain trends, he said.
He, however, said it is acceptable to design thobes with World Cup themes.
Mohammed Mansour, a salesman at an abaya store in Souk Al-Hijaz refused to sell such abayas. I will never sell World Cup abayas in my shop. I think theyre simply not proper for middle-class Saudi families, said Mansour.
Donia Tashkandi, a Saudi girl who supports Brazil, said she is extremely pleased with her new Brazil abaya. Ive loved football since I was a small child. Ive always supported Brazil in past World Cups. In the past, I used to watch matches in cafés with my dad and was able to wear football tops and carry flags. However, now that Im a little older the only way to support my favorite team is to wear these special abayas, she said.
Khogaer, meanwhile, is surprised at the criticism of her latest collection. We design special abayas for different occasions. For example, I designed a special collection for Ramadan, the Saudi National Day and the Haj. The World Cup is an international occasion. It is my right as a designer to celebrate this occasion differently.
