Dolce & Gabbana’s Riyadh Launch
Dolce & Gabbana have launched a collection of abayas and hijabs in Riyadh, a sporting event that reminded us of the power of luxury branding in modest apparel. The collection was launched with an exclusive display at the historic Hittin Palace that included apparel inspired by Saudi Arabia’s desert-scapes, mountain ranges and hues of the Red Sea. Flowing silk abayas, elaborately embroidered shawls and turbans were shown, taking Italian craftsmanship and melding it into an Arabic cultural aesthetic.
In Celebration of Cultural Inclusion
The fashion media worldwide was quick to applaud the collection on the grounds that it was a celebration of diversity and acknowledgment of the Muslim identity in high fashion. But this applause brings about a well-worn paradox: when Western luxury brands present bespoke modest dress it is accepted as aspirationally sophisticated and esoteric. When Muslim women wear somewhat similar clothing they are branded as suspicious or victims of their own constraints.
The Weight of a Double Standard
Pithily put, the trouble is not the fabric but the perspective through which it is evaluated. A designer made burkha is looked upon as liberating whereas a traditional one is stigmatized as restrictive, for want of a better epithet. There is less between the two in approach than there is in their wearers and their respective effect on society vis a vis the act of wearing them. The power imbalances and the nature of the narratives are indicative of the phenomenon that the voice of the West invariably receives pre-eminence over the issue of what is empowerment or freedom for women of the Muslim faith.
Fashion’s Cultural Commodification
Dolce & Gabbana’s foray into the Riyadh market is illustrative of how international fashion brands are negligence about the commercialization of cultural icons and their relevance in reality. The abaya, hijab, and burkha are precious symbols in the lives of many women, who regard them as spiritual symbols related to their faith, dignity, and expression of individuality. By classifying them as luxury items, these garments will lose any social respectability they may have had and be regarded merely as fashionable commodities.
Refocusing Agency and Choice
The agenda should not be oriented around whether modest clothing is friend or foe, but around women’s rights to express themselves as they wish. For some, modest wear is devotion, while for others, it is an aesthetic. Both are correct. Until it is understood in our society that the burkha is more than a fashionable commodity, then the real discussion will be one not of oppression of cloth, but of selective cultural acceptance which is received rather than rejected in instances of privilege and perception.
