Tyler Bond - Abayas and the UAE - Intro to the Modern Middle East

Fashion and apparel in the Middle East is not exactly a topic that elicits a lot of discussion. It’s easy to point out that Middle Eastern clothing, especially for women, is extremely conservative and boring by design. Today, there are a number of fashion designers that are beginning to break the mold. This article will explore the historical and contemporary symbolism behind the abaya, a popular type of cloak worn by women in the Middle East.

A group of women in the United Arab Emirates wearing traditional black abayas

Even Middle Eastern women have differing opinions about wearing hijab which refers to not only the traditional head covering, but the entire style of conservative dressing. Muslim women do not necessarily see the hijab as a form of oppression by their religion or government. It is a common belief that the hijab is empowering and separates the woman that wears it from her peers. It can connect that woman with her religion in ways that go deeper than her physical appearance. Some women also wear it to show their pride and devotion to Islam publicly. However, there are women that oppose the wear of very conservative clothing in the name of Islam. There are many women who feel pressured by their peers and the government to dress a certain way even though they do not necessarily want to. It also groups the women into a very large and generic group which they might not necessarily want to represent the entire culture or religion in public.

The abaya was traditionally worn by women in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, United Arab Emirates. Muslim women wore it because of its loose fit and black color. It was a perfect example of conservative clothing, covering the entire head and body. Slowly, the piece of clothing began to evolve.

Abaya with green accents

The midnight black abayas started to become adorned with flair like rhinestones and embroidery. As the years went on, the changes to the traditional dress became bolder and more brazen. Ribbons were affixed to the sleeves and more colors were put on display.

In the present day, these once-conservative and traditional abayas would be completely foreign to a UAE citizen of the past. Abaya designers are becoming more commonplace in the Emirates with burquas seemingly going out of style. These new stylish abayas have started to catapult the UAE and Dubai to the center of the fashion world.

Ornate blue lace added to a black abaya

Studs adorned to the sleeves

Arab Fashion Week is a large event every year that presents contemporary developments in Arab fashion for the world to see. There are four shows a year presented in New York, London, Milan, and Paris. Arab Fashion Week admits not only Arab designers, but designers from all over the world provided that they design innovative and high-end fashion off the rack. The main audience for these pieces are women in the UAE and around the Persian Gulf who like to dress fashionably. The main message of the fashion show is to showcase the region’s “creativity, art, and beauty” in contrast to its “war and conflicts”, says spokeswoman Daline Eluar.

Abayas with unique patterns and designs

The future of Islamic women’s fashion is looking very bright. Due to the prominence of Arab Fashion Week, designers are seeing a massive increase in sales, collaborations, and interest. There is a large target audience for this type of fashion and potentially a large untapped market in selling fashionable clothes to a population who has traditionally never been able to sport them before. Jabon Abrian, the head of Subai-based Arab Fashion Council claims that Muslim spending on fashion could reach $550 billion by 2019. While this claim may be an overestimation, there is no doubt that there is very large potential for this exploration of art and fashion in women’s clothing in the United Arab Emirates and the rest of the Middle East.