And now...Islamic Fashion.....

Just what we need...

Increased global interest in Islamic fashion offers students an opportunity to tap a growing market worth more than $96 billion (Dh350 billion) say heads of UAE-based fashion universities.

Tamara Hostal, Director of French Fashion University ESMOD Dubai (ESMOD), said this figure comprises 50 per cent of the world's 1.6 billion Muslims, each spending at least $120 (Dh438) a year on modest clothing.

"Fashion today is moving and passing between different continents as more people travel the world and bring traditional influences back to their own countries," she said. "People are increasingly showing they want to wear clothes influenced by Islamic culture as countries that are not yet very Islamic are starting to be," she added.

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Hostal used the example of global brands like Fendi, Gucci and Calvin Klein introducing Islamic elements into their recent collections, making it apparent that growing trends and increased demand in a fashion-conscious world means Muslims are no exception.

Catering to demand

"We shouldn't only focus on Muslims," said Saqib Suhail. "There are conservative Christians as well as Jews all over the world and we can cater to all these people," said Suhail, head of the fashion department at Preston University Ajman (PUA).

"We can see Arabic styles steadily influencing European street fashion, which proves the potential of this emerging niche," said Hostal.

One example is the keffiyeh, which exploded internationally nearly two years ago as a fashion necessity. "Lots of celebrities adorn Islamic clothing," said Suhail.

"Take the keffiyeh, Kanye West started wearing it, not for the Palestinian cause but for the fashion element, and then designers started implementing it into their collections."

Well, this would be ok if Rosie O'Donell would wear a burka...