About some two and a half years ago, in 2010, I was hooked into watching Project Runway. The TV show was a good watch that explored various creative ideas pertaining to putting dresses together, using unique materials to do so, and the spirit of cut-throat competition.
It came as a slight shocker to see one of the contestants drape a black fabric over himself and call it 'Taliban fashion' in one of the episodes. I also came across Nina Garcia's statement on Muslim fashion which was very impressive. On being asked whether practicing religious women can also be fashionable, she described how covering up for modesty does not imply dressing like a paper bag. Her idea is that fashion, in contrast to its tainted image of today, is the concept of being trendy without compromising your lifestyle. Next, a couple of years later the world saw a Muslim girl participate in Project Runway!
I chose to write a fashion article for Habibi Halaqas and called it Project Hijabi: The Muslim Fashion Label. Fashion has a very tainted image and the minute somebody says fashion, the Haram Police may just spring into action to explain the do's and don'ts for a Muslim woman. And so, I introduced the real definition of the word clarifying itself being permissible religiously. I mentioned the mixture of immorality into the deal such as "ideas of physical exposure, sexuality, beauty, politics, drug abuse, homosexuality, and inappropriate imagery" which ruin the show.
The first concept that I chose to describe was that of the Hijab. It goes beyond the basic head wrap, all the way to covering the Sunnah dress code, attitude, and lifestyle of a Muslim woman. I discussed the basic dressing protocols of the Hijab that are the covering of awrah (compulsory to-be-covered body parts) before non-mehrams, avoiding imagery and symbolism, abstinence from following other religions' styles, avoiding luxurious dressing, and ridiculous fashion statements.
In reference to Nina Garcia's interview for Hijab Trendz, the article discusses the confusion between being religious conservative and fashion-forward. Even opera gloves are conservative, but very fashion forward.
The world has a misunderstanding about Muslim women being deprived of the wonderful fashion brands of clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics. The article sheds light on the freedom of choice Islam has allowed but within modest ladies-only gatherings, and how no limits are set on how a woman displays herself before her husband. So it is only a fool's tunnel vision when they perceive that Muslim ladies have nothing to do at Victoria's Secret.
The Muslim Fashion Label itself is a good read, I suggest. I have included in it the rules that the garment must follow and which dressing styles comply with these rules. Some unacceptable dressing forms can be revamped successfully to be worn modestly with the right fusion of dresses and accessories.
There is a Part 2 to this article, insha'Allah, which covers other aspects of the fashion industry that have an impact on Muslims. Stay tuned ...
