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Pimp My Abaya

In an attempt to link fashion to the region's culture, Saks Fifth Avenue (Saudi branch) has hosted a fashion show of designer Abayas in Paris a few days ago at luxury hotel George V.

Designers who have joined the tricky exercise to glam up one of the world’s most traditional piece include: Christian Dior's John Galliano, Anne-Valerie Hash, Nina Ricci , Felipe Oliveira Baptista, Jean Claude Jitrois, Blumarine, Alberta Feretti, Martin Grant, and Caroline Herrera. The designer abayas are said to be worth $5,500-$11,150 and some abayas will be offered to Saks's VVIP Saudi clients in Riyadh and Jeddah. The rest will be sold in Saks branches in Saudi, Bahrain, and Dubai by September 2009. Read more about it here and here.

You know what's even more bazaar? Four days earlier, French president Nicolas Sarkozy offensively declared that full-body veils such as the burka are "not welcome" in France, saying they make women prisoners. Note to Sarkozy: Stick to politics dude and live and let live.

I'd like to see the entire collection in detail. It reminded me when Sheikh Majid asked designers to design Kaftans exclusively to Villa Moda.
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Comments

Organic Kuwait said…
hahahaha good morning laugh
30 June, 2009
Bahrain Fashion said…
They seem uber-luxe. And to Sarkozy: !@#$%^&*())!!!!!
Lovely post!
30 June, 2009
Principessa said…
yeeee!!! mo min 9ijhom
30 June, 2009
Anonymous said…
Why is it acceptable in countries like Saudi and Iran to force women to wear the abaya, yet you cannot comprehend why Sarkozy wants to forbid it.Even in Kuwait one cannot go out in slightly revealing clothing without getting bad mouthed. And if anyone dares complain, they sermon about the culture and if you live here you have to accept it or simply leave. Just like Muslim countries want to protect their people from what they think are the evils of the west, it only makes sense that he wants to protect what is majorly a Christian society from beliefs that go against the identity and culture of their country.
01 July, 2009
Bahrain Fashion said…
@ Anonymous:

But still, the third most popular religion in France is Islam (10%), after Christianity (54%) and those with no religion (25%); and I believe those 10% deserve equal respect and rights, to do whatever they want so long it does not hurt anyone else! Anyhow, that's only my opinion :)
01 July, 2009
sarah said…
The Burqa in France is subject to discussion, contraversy and debate. They are at a level of understanding what is the difference of Burqa, Niqab, Hijab, and what is the impact of this social and religious behaviour on the girls and woman involved and their environement. They're surely beyond using religion as the basis of their political system and they are trying to defend that.
Fashion is elegance and a must for a woman's relation to her body, beauty and soul. Readers of this blog could not disagree.
But why do we feel personally insulted if Sarkozy decides to ban the burqa in France?
And why do we think that it is the end of our identity and our selves?

The problem with the burqa is you either have to be for or against it. Is there any room for tolerance and acceptance in that avenue or that fashion?
01 July, 2009
Anonymous said…
hi,
i was just wondering where i can see more pictures of the collection of abayass ! plz and thank you

with luv Jeje
01 July, 2009
ScaryToes said…
wow, i cant believe sarkozy said that! its so annoying to see people with such high authority and statuses make statements like these. he is the friggin president of the country, he should NOT think like that.. what happened to freedom of choice? f..k that!!
02 July, 2009
Confashion said…
It's not about religion, my point here is to let people to wear whatever they want to wear especially in a "democratic" country such as france.
03 July, 2009
Anonymous said…
*Carolina
05 July, 2009
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