Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XXI

The abaya is the traditional national dress of Emirati women and distinguishes them from women of other nationalities one might see when out and about in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Because of this close association with Emirati identity, there are those who would say that the abaya is perhaps just as important as a cultural signifier as a religious one. Given the traditional tolerance in the UAE – not to mention its proven demand for luxury goods – the Middle Eastern market was the ideal place for Dolce & Gabbana to launch this ground- breaking collection. The Importance of the Middle Eastern Market The spring/summer 2016 abaya and hijab collection was created as a tribute to the beauty and grace of Arab women. But it's also a way of catering to a valued D&G client base: the Middle Eastern region represents an extremely attractive market for luxury fashion. As many, including the renowned business publication Forbes Magazine, have pointed out, this is a remarkably savvy move from the Italian duo. An analysis of the regional market, conducted by the management consulting firm Bain & Co., showed that sales of personal luxury goods in the Middle East reached USD 8.7 billion in 2015 – an increase from USD 6.8 billion in 2014. That’s a growth rate that outpaces other major markets such as Asia or Russia. And it’s not just luxury goods seeing a boom in sales – overall, Muslim shoppers spent USD 266 billion on retail apparel and footwear in 2013, according to Reuters, with that figure projected to reachUSD484 billion by 2019. Whilst there is more spending activity around the Holy Month of Ramadan, there is clearly a year-round demand for clothing, shoes and accessories that can address the need to dress modesty as well as the desire to dress fashionably. Luxury handbags, footwear and sunglasses – all visible when worn with the abaya – are some of the clear favourites. But many women also choose to wear high-end designer clothing under their abaya when in public, or to dress fabulously when in the privacy of their homes, 5 5 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I