Making Way For The Modern Robe – News

Fashion blogger and luxury consultant Anum Bashir shows off a more contemporary gown design

How ancient Arabian cloaks combine style with tradition.

If you think I’m talking about dresses or blazers, don’t worry, I’m not. I’m talking about robes – modern robes to be precise.
Like a sari in India or a kebaya in Indonesia, this is a region where traditional dress is worn on a daily basis. What keeps a saree, kebaya or abaya at the forefront of a woman’s wardrobe is that you can almost always find modern versions of these. Staying true to its original form, the “Modern Abaya” has an austere feel, but updated elements ensure it is a highly sought-after garment among fashion-savvy young Arab women.
The traditional robe, a black loose robe, is an ode to the cultural and religious sensibilities of the region. Yet the abayas you see today in concept stores like Symphony in Dubai or luxury e-retailer Moda Operandi line the streets of Milan or London as much as they do in Dubai or Jeddah – and they not only uphold cultural heritage But also stylish.
Farah Mounzer, Symphony’s chief buyer, says that while traditional abayas vary from country to country, what most modern abayas in the GCC countries have in common is fabric (made of a single piece of cloth) and color (black). “Fabrics are now more fluid and experimental, using organza, jacquards and pleats, in earth tones like nudes, baby pinks and beiges.”
For the past five years, Symphony has been hosting a special pop-up show called Tasyourah, showcasing modern Arabic fashion. Expanding from an in-store sale to a five-day stand-alone event, it has become the go-to place for all your fashion needs during Ramadan. “We organized a small fair in the first year with 16 booths, then 40 in 2017 and this time 61.” Its development speaks volumes for the successful combination of fashion and tradition in this part of the world.
Farah credits fashion house Bouguessa’s Faiza Bouguessa with being one of the first couturiers to introduce the gown in a new shape, with her first 70° collection in spring 2014. The Dubai-based French-Algerian was a former Emirates flight attendant who started her brand and the idea of ​​making a ‘global robe’. “When I started my concept using the robe as inspiration for my first collection, I wanted to add color to the dress, but time passed and I was too late. Someone did it, and then someone else did it Already. It forced me to think about using something more refined, just in a different color. So, with different cuts, I found it fun to bring innovation. My process was pretty simple: I took a familiar from a woman’s closet clothes, make them longer,” said the designer.
The collection was mostly about gowns, which featured shoulder straps, cape styles, a predominantly monochromatic palette and a graphic feel. These details may sound “regular” now, but four years ago fashion critics saw them as a new chapter in the ancient robe. Today, Dubai-based labels such as Bint Thani, All Things Mochi, Dima Ayad and Bambah are creating a new wave of Arabic fashion.

A fun twist on the Bambah robe
Just last year, Beyonce Knowles posted a photo on Instagram wearing a sheath red dress over an emerald green velvet gown by Faiza. This moment clearly proves that Faiza has taken the robe to global destinations. In fact, you’ll notice tunic-inspired gowns are now part of many resort collections this year – you’ll find them in the lookbooks of Italian labels like Etro and Prada. “Personally, I think it was the robes that actually influenced the long coat trend. When the robes started getting more colorful and printed, I started seeing all these flowy robes on swimsuits and jeans,” said the pioneering designer.

Modern Robe by Bouguessa
Of course, Middle Eastern designers have been experimenting with abayas for some time. Every season, you’ll see them aligning it with global fashion trends. Three years ago, when the trench coat was all the rage, we saw a lot of trench coat style robes. With the kimono trend of the season, robes are infused with details of Japanese robes.
In many of the new collections, the robe is considered an outer layer – a garment. It’s not just a covering, it makes a fashion statement of itself in a very modest and demure way. Modern tunics can now replace jackets, capes, and smocks. Like any outerwear, abayas are on trend, says Marriam Mossalli, a Saudi Arabian fashion consultant and author of the coffee table book Under The Abaya. “Thanks to N’Sync and Britney Spears, I have a denim from the 90s. I have a vintage Versace robe from the 80s with shoulder pads that I inherited from my mother. The robes will continue Adapting to trends, but staying the same for now is what it’s about. Let’s not forget that the gown is a functional piece of clothing,” she said. Current trends in robes revolve around metallics, pastels and prints. Also, pay attention to details like the raglan sleeves and ruffle trim.

Curtains by Dima Ayad
Today, you’ll find many Emirati fashion bloggers posting photos of their robes, paired with everything from jeans to robes to pajama bottoms. These fashion interventions led to a revival of the tunic. As Farah puts it, “Since it’s considered very fashionable and there are so many options to express one’s personality, it just meets the demands of comfort, respect for culture and style.”
As demure dressing has become a global trend, international designers from Dolce & Gabbana (which launched its first robe collection two years ago) and high-street brands such as Bebe have jumped on the gown trend. Although when it comes to this style, international brands are not as successful as local ones. Marriam puts it succinctly: “I think it’s just them trying to enter a lucrative market. I think the problem arises when there’s a clear lack of market research and the attempt appears superficial.”
Much of the fashion industry in Dubai prefers to support designers from the region, which is good news for local brands. Bambah’s Maha Abdul Rashyed opened her first store in Dubai in 2010 and launched her own label four years later. “Supporting local talent has a strong pull; people like to shop at local exhibitions, pop-up stores and other events where designers would typically showcase.” Maha believes international fashion’s interest in gowns could help fashion in the region gain more traction. Much global attention.
It doesn’t matter whether the robe is made in Italy or designed by a local label – it makes a statement. Dima Ayad, a Dubai-based designer known for designing clothes for real women, sums it up best when she says: “It has become a must-have in a woman’s wardrobe, just Like anything, even our little black dresses, they are constantly reinventing themselves. We evolve as people, fashion evolves with the times, we blend fabrics into each other, and we return to old traditions with new ones. ’ is exactly what the modern robe represents.
sujata@khaleejtimes.com
Why the Robe Had to Be Reinvented
Dubai-based Anum Bashir, founder of www.desertmannequin.com, a blogger and luxury consultant known for her pioneering style, has this interpretation of the modern gown:
“Smart and talented regional designers have found a way to modernize traditional clothing, making it more appealing for us (non-traditionalists) and millennials to wear it as fashion chic rather than a culture obligation.
I’ve now seen tunics replacing trench coats, or the fall jackets we’re looking to invest in. Given our recent social climate, there was a need to reinvent and revitalize the robe. Women are increasingly freed from patriarchal rules and traditions, and this will undoubtedly translate into the way they dress. The gown has become Céline-style, Balenciaga-style, if you will, and feels more democratic in its appeal to a wider age group. Trendy and fashionistas need not feel alienated by wearing tunics anymore. If anything, those who wouldn’t normally wear them are tempted to get in on the trend, as there are styles now that are so “cool” and uniquely designed. The best and most fitting example I can give right now is that designed by Faiza Bouguessa! She is a genius. “