Being active and sporty is an encouraged trait for all women no matter their race, age or religion yet Muslim women have a hard time keeping up. Not because they don't want to but because it's difficult without the proper attire. This has been a problem for a while and designers are starting to catch on to the needs of the women of Islam. One such designer is Iranian born, Canadian Elham Seyed Javad, the creator of ResportOn's sports hijab.
The hijab is worn above the head as a means of covering up the hair and neck but a regular scarf or cover up wasn't able to stay still in times of high intensity activity. Javad realized that this was a big opportunity to help women in this predicament and created an item that is lightweight and quick drying. With this innovative piece of clothing it begs to ask the question, why aren't there more Muslim friendly sportswear options?
The hijab is worn above the head as a means of covering up the hair and neck but a regular scarf or cover up wasn't able to stay still in times of high intensity activity. Javad realized that this was a big opportunity to help women in this predicament and created an item that is lightweight and quick drying. With this innovative piece of clothing it begs to ask the question, why aren't there more Muslim friendly sportswear options?
The Muslim fashion market is estimated to be $260bn yet it's still untapped though the potential is proven to be there. The technology allows for lightweight garments that can be worn for a variety of exercises. While there are other brands like Capsters and Friniggi, a fashion forward option equal to ResportOn doesn't exist. The athleisure movement is growing rapidly around the world yet for Muslim women it still has a lot of catching up to do.
Recently UK retailer Marks & Spencer launched the burkini, a head to toe ensemble made of a lightweight fabric for Muslim women to swim in. A move towards more inclusion in the fashion industry is happening though it's taking it's time. While it faced a lot of criticism and controversy initially, Marks & Spencer are aiming to make multicultural consumers happy.
The sporty needs of Muslim women is exemplified with the summer Olympics coming up. There are a number of countries that abide by the religious practices of Islam and have females who still want to compete though finding the proper garments is hard. In 2010 Kulsoom Abdullah was not allowed to qualify for an American Open weight lifting tournament because of her attire. In order to respect her religion she must have most of her body covered with the exception of hands and face however the judges argued that they wouldn't be able to tell if her elbows were locked.
Zahra Lari, a figure skater from the United Arab Emirates is proving that a hijab can be integrated into her outfit beautifully. She is poised to compete for the next winter Olympics making her the first figure skater to represent the UAE. Lari hopes to encourage other young women to pursue their goals no matter the obstacle though with help from the fashion industry it would be easier to do.
Zahra Lari, a figure skater from the United Arab Emirates is proving that a hijab can be integrated into her outfit beautifully. She is poised to compete for the next winter Olympics making her the first figure skater to represent the UAE. Lari hopes to encourage other young women to pursue their goals no matter the obstacle though with help from the fashion industry it would be easier to do.
Designers trying to expand into Muslim fashion
High end brand Dolce & Gabban along with Uniqlo have recently made news as they embraced the Muslim women and their culture by producing items tailored to their modesty. Through their own aesthetics these companies are acknowledging that this is an important demographic that needs to be catered to.
Not everybody is on board with the way that the fashion industry is moving. Providing a product for the observing Muslim woman is not something that Pierre Barge approves of as his recent remarks have the fashion world in a shock. According to him Islamic clothing is the “enslavement of women.” Berge is a co-founder of the high end fashion brand Yves Saint Laurent and was the longtime partner of Saint Laurent. During a radio interview with a French station he said that “creators should have nothing to do with Islamic fashion. Designers are there to make women more beautiful, to give them their freedom, not to collaborate with this dictatorship which imposes this abominable thing by which we hide women and make them live a hidden life."
His remarks have faced backlash from the public as many disagree with his opinion. The Muslim woman has proven herself to be capable of all the same things as a woman of any other religion if given the proper attire that's respectful and comfortable. This market and demographic has the potential for large growth and influence on the fashion industry as soon as designers pay more attention.
His remarks have faced backlash from the public as many disagree with his opinion. The Muslim woman has proven herself to be capable of all the same things as a woman of any other religion if given the proper attire that's respectful and comfortable. This market and demographic has the potential for large growth and influence on the fashion industry as soon as designers pay more attention.