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Hijab high fashion: Dolce and Gabbana launches abaya collection
The world of fashion might have a bad reputation because of controversies surrounding the state of their workers in developing countries or for their inadvertent promotion of the size zero body, but there are times when Miranda Priestly from the Devil Wears Prada's infamous speech rings true.
Fashion does affect our lives—and with the release of The Abaya Collection by influential brand Dolce & Gabbana, it seems that anti-Islamophia groups just gained a powerful ally.
Co-founder Stefano Gabbana shared a preview of the collection on his Instagram account, which Middle Eastern fashion magazines immediately welcomed.
Style Arabia shared more photos from the collection and gave the specifics of the design: "The abayas and hijabs come in sheer georgette and satin weave charmeuse fabrics and include copious lace details along hems."
The abayas in the collection are black, white, and beige with floral prints and baroque patterns.
A photo posted by Style.com/Arabia (@stylearabia) on
D&G's Abaya Collection comes at the heels of DKNY's Ramadan Line from 2014, which was considerably less traditional. Uniqlo and fast-fashion brand H&M also began featuring models in hijabs and including the garment in their collections in 2015.
The hijab has been a specific target of discrimination, with some women swapping their traditional headgear for beanies to avoid negative attention. It's also a topic of debate, with some women seeing it as an oppressive garment and others defending it as part of a cultural heritage.
Gaining prominence in collections by big fashion houses adds another layer to that discussion, as the Muslim fashion market is an industry waiting to be either explored or exploited. — Aya Tantiangco/BM, GMA News
