Women in Islam Want to Dress Fashionably, Too!
D&G Scarves and a Religious Revolution
The fashion industry is calling for more freedom in Islam. In March, UNIQLO, a Japanese casual clothing company, introduced a new line aimed at Islamic girls in England. It was the company’s first European venture, and The Independent has reported on this revolutionary collection.
The collection is called “UNIQLO x Hana Tajima”, and it’s a collaboration between UNIQLO and British-Japanese fashion designer Hana Tajima, who became a Muslim when she was 17. It maintains traditional values by keeping Islamic forms of clothing such as the hijab and long ankle-length tunics.
Tajima’s design and UNIQLO’s functionality have created added value.
The AIRism material breathes well and allows moisture to escape, and would be very comfortable even in the Middle East where temperatures rise to above 40 degrees Celsius. UNIQLO is also producing clothing aimed at Islamic women in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Middle Eastern Islamic countries, and the U.S.
Islamic Fashion is Popular
This is not only the case with UNIQLO.
The high-class Italian brand, Dolce & Gabbana, introduced a hijab and abaya (a black Islamic garment) collection in January, which has now opened in the Middle East, Paris, and London. This movement reflects the desire to ‘dress fashionably’ amongst the wealthy classes of Islamic women and those living in South East Asia.
More Freedom in Islam
Fashion symbolizes freedom in that it allows you to express yourself in unique ways. In recent times, the Islamic region has been seeking more freedom.
This is most clearly reflected in the Tunisian revolution of January 2011 that arose in demand for democracy and Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel Peace Prize for advocating women’s education.
Beauty in Islam
This yearning for fashion comes from gradually increasing freedom in Islam.
Master Ryuho Okawa, the founder of Happy Science, recorded a spiritual message from Muhammad in 2012. In it, the spirit of Muhammad spoke about Islamic female clothing, saying:
It is partly for self-defense. Another thing is the Euro-American trend nowadays to ‘show’, but there is another sort of culture that is becoming lost, known as ‘bashfulness’.
The concept of the new UNIQLO collection’s ‘subtle beauty’ draws on the good values of Islamic women’s clothing while creating new values, and it innovates while still leaving the beauty of the Islamic tradition. The world of fashion may have much hidden potential for this.
