Dolce & Gabbana have launched their own hijab and abaya line.
I’ll let that sink in for a moment.
Now, where do you sit?
There’s been a lot of debate surrounding cultural appropriatation in the fashion industry; just take H&M’s fiasco’s with the scarf that looks like a Jewish prayer tallit or the t-shirt which featured a skull in the middle of the star of David. We’ve seen a lot of cultural items being represented as mainstream fashion, when they are only appropriate to a specific culture. I’ve seen it with images of Buddha, as I’m a Buddhist myself.
But, I must admit that although I’m not a Muslim and don’t follow Islam as a faith, the hijabs and abayas have got me in a spin. I’ve always been fascinated with Muslim dress and the Islam faith, particularly in relation to fashion. I think that there’s now an outlet for Muslim women to express themselves through the way they dress. Having a best friend who is both of the above is great as we can both appreicate the step that Dolce and Gabbana have taken.
The fashion brand have taken a step in the right direction when it comes to fashion for Muslim women, but they have also taken a step in the right direction for equality. Both Muslims and the Islam faith have taken a large hit to their culture in recent months and I think that this could reverse the hatred in some way. They aren’t being culturally inappropriate, they are trying to change the way we think.
Me and my best friend cooed at the pieces with their diversity and their stunning designs and patterns.
Although there is a hefty price tag, it’s a step in the right direction for cultural clothing. We don’t see a lot of cultural clothing in high-end brands, so for a well known brand such as D&G, it could pave the way for other brands to jump onto the bandwagon. If more brands did similar lines, it would certainly alleviate the tension and increase awareness and support in my opinion.
Many people aren’t aware of the cultural dress of the Muslim and Islamic women community. Many people just remember the nijab – the full dress where people cover their face. It’s also called a burqa. Within the Muslim community and within Islam, you have the hijab, the nijab and the abaya.
The hijab is a head covering worn by Muslim women to stay covered. The abaya is a full length garment. Modesty is important to women and it is encouraged that women cover themselves.
By now, you know my opinion – they are doing the right thing. But now let’s turn to the pieces themselves.
All of the pieces are stunning. We could leave it at that, but the fabrics and patterns are a touching aspect of the collection. The collection comes in georgette and satin weave fabrics with neutral hues, luxe black and biege.
Dolce and Gobbanna have captured creativeness with their abayas. They have captured distinct SS16 (spring/summer 2016) vibes with daisies, lemons and red roses. The designs are perfect for the start of spring and capture the Sicilian spirit of the dynamic fashion house.
Although all of the pieces are stunning, the lace pieces are my favourite – especially the nude one. It’s nude with detailed black lace on the bottom and on the arms and headscarf.
There are many different designs to suit each individual – whether you want to be bold and bright or more minimalistic in your outfit.
You can take a look at all of the pieces here.
However, it is time to play devils advocate.
We’ve seen backlashes to other cultural clothing before, as I mentioned above. It may be the same this time and may highlight the faith even further. It may lead people to think that society is singling them out and pushing them into the limelight, albeit in a positive way. People may think “why?”. With all of the hype at the moment surrounding Islam and being a Muslim, are they going to push the limit and create more hatred by bringing attention to the hijab and abaya in a negative way?
I hope not.
Of course, I think it’s a positive thing that a big fashion brand such as Dolce and Gabbana is highlighting faith clothing. The brand is also high end too, so it’s even better. It could possibly have more reach, giving it more of an influence.
In short, I have to commend D&G. Well done!
Do you think the new collection is appropriate? Let us know in the comments below!
