Mideast Culture

Fashion ComPassion Making Style a Conscious Effort

If you’ve been to your local H&M store recently, you would have noticed the promotions for H&M Conscious with the slogan “Don’t Let Fashion Go To Waste” placed around the floor. The campaign is an initiative led by the Swedish retailer to reduce the fashion industry’s environmental impact and to run its business in a manner that is “economically, socially and environmentally sustainable.” It aims to reduce the amount of textiles that end up in landfills every year by asking customers to bring them their old clothes in exchange for a discount voucher. The clothing that is collected will be sorted out to be re-worn, reused or recycled, and if these aren’t the options then the textile is used to produce energy.

The global fashion industry has been moving in the direction of increased sustainability and social consciousness in recent years. Campaigns such as TOMS’ “One For One Movement” and the eco-fashion brand EDUN founded by Bono and his wife Ali Hewson to sustain long-term jobs in third world countries have improved the fashion world’s image for being shallow and wasteful. Fashion ComPassion is one such brand that is changing the way fashion works, quite literally. It is a socially responsible fashion retailer providing a platform to brands that work directly with women in underprivileged and war-torn areas in South Asia and Africa, including the Middle East. The goal is to create jobs and provide skill training as a sustainable means to end poverty.

Eye of the Falcon: The Fashion of Niqab in the Arabian Gulf

When I first came to Al Ain, I had little idea of what to expect. One of the first things you notice as a Westerner coming to Abu Dhabi is the fact that the local women are “faceless.” That is, that most of the Emirati women here wear what is known as “niqab,” a Muslim face covering for women which only allows the eyes to be seen. As a foreigner trying to familiarize myself with the culture and customs, the niqab was a huge barrier for me, blocking me from engaging with the local women or seeing beyond the vast black sea every time I entered a mall.

Styling in Palestyle: Couture with a Social Agenda

High-end fashion brand Palestyle is known in global fashion circles for its statement handbags that are embellished with Arabic calligraphy. But aside from its flare, it is the company’s focus on social awareness and ethics that sets it apart from other fashion labels. Founded in 2009, by Zeina Abou Chabaan with the help of her brother, Ahmad, the Dubai-based brand is committed to empowering Palestinian women in refugee camps in Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon.

The Style Maverick: Muslim Fashion Blogger Samantha Elauf

In the tumultuous world of fashion, only the people who have the audacity to push limits and constantly take risks are the ones who stand out and stay ahead of the rest. Samantha Elauf, 22-year-old fashion blogger from Oklahoma, is one such unapologetic champion of fashion. But what’s unique about her is her fashion-forward approach to embracing her religious driven values of modesty. For Elauf, there is almost no fashion trend that can’t be “hijabified.”

Elauf started working for Forever21 as a sales associate in 2008, and was eventually promoted to a visual merchandiser. She has been doing visuals for the company for three years now, and is known for her “make it work” attitude. Such a determination is also echoed in her personal style and openness to the boldest of fashion trends. From tutus to bustier tops, she has adapted the most daring trends to fit her modest dressing code. “I tend to make anything that I must have in my wardrobe hijabified,” she says.

Muslim Fashion Designer and Entrepreneur Complements Style with Relief

Suraya Mahumed is a modern-day superwoman. She is a mother of two, runs her own clothing line, and is a strong activist for human rights around the world. Although her brand, Nahda Designs, is only a year old, she is already putting it to good use by hosting charity fashion shows in collaboration with other modest clothing brands to raise funds for various nonprofit organizations. The second annual Relief on the Runway took place in Tustin, California on November 11, and this year Mahumed chose Syria as the relief of choice- a cause that speaks to her on the deepest level of empathy and compassion.

“I watched a video that changed my life. A Syrian girl whose mother was shot...her face haunted me for days,” a misty-eyed Mahumed told the group of fashionistas, philanthropists, activists, students, and artists who had gathered to support her cause. “As a mother of two I couldn’t bear to see that. I couldn’t erase that image from my mind.”