Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana may be best known for its extravagant designs and form-fitting dresses worn by top models, but that is not to say the company is ignorant to its fans who like to dress more modestly.
Satisfying this customer – and taking the brand’s look slightly further than its Sicilian heritage – Dolce & Gabbana has this week unveiled a collection in which it looked to the Middle East for inspiration.
Introducing its first collection aimed at its Muslim consumers, the range of abayas and hijabs come in a variety of different forms, with some more subtle, monochrome looks offsetting others decorated with the brand’s signature colourful prints.
However, this high-end brand is not the first to create a collection especially for the Middle Eastern shopper.
Dolce & Gabbana Abaya collection
With Oscar de la Renta, Tommy Hilfiger and DKNY all having created ranges, many labels now design Ramadan collections as the religious celebration gains recognition as a time of increased retail activity for Muslim consumers.
Net-A-Porter also offer a ‘Ramadan Edit’ tailored specially for the annual holy month.
The high-street has quickly followed suit, with Uniqlo offering a range of hijabs in Singapore and H&M enlisting its first hijab wearing model, Mariah Idrissi.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Idrissi said: “Seeing Dolce & Gabbana launch in this market is definitely a positive thing.”
“I think [brands] are realising; let’s not just do it in that one month [Ramadan], let’s make this something to stay, because they’ve realised the potential and how much Muslim women spend on fashion."
The reaction has not been entirely positive, however, as the model reveals she receives criticism for wearing trend-led clothes.
“Some members of the community still don’t get it. I’m trying to explain to people that fashion is such a big, influential part of life, the same way that music is to movies.”
“If we were more used to seeing Muslim women, then for all the negative media that we hear about Muslims they’d also be a positive side to it as well.”
The Abaya line goes on sale this month in all Dolce & Gabbana boutiques in the Middle East, Paris and London.
