The first-of-its-kind competition for abaya designs by Persil Abaya Shampoo concludes
Arwa’a Abaya’, the competition launched by specialized black abaya washing product Persil Abaya Shampoo, has concluded after 8 weeks, during which contestants showcased their talents in designing abayas on MBC1 during the morning show 'Sabah Al Khair Ya Arab'. Iraqi contestant Shouq Taher walked away with the first prize of RS 50,000 for her design, which impressed the judges who made their decision based on creativity of the design and quality of execution.
Commenting on her win, Shouq said: “I’m very pleased about winning this competition, which allowed me to bring my creative ideas to life and showcase my talent in fashion design, especially in designing abayas that distinguish Khaleeji women. My abaya was inspired by spring, designed as a butterfly full of the happy and vivid colors of this season.’
‘In the past, the Khaleeji abaya consisted of one piece that is worn from the head down to cover all the body, despite differences in some details that reflected the individuality of each country. This dress changed over the years and consisted of two separate pieces for the head and the body,’ said Mohammed Al Samhan, one of the competition judges and owner of Al Yashmac Fashion. ‘Even as designs of abayas became more creative and fashionable, this traditional dress maintained its black color across the region. The move by Persil Abaya Shampoo to launch this competition has proved the great talent that Arabian woman enjoys, as she translates her creativity into beautiful designs that contribute to highlight this dress as part of our proud heritage.’
UAE designer Amal Murad, jury member and owner of ‘Redaa’, said: ‘Abayas in the GCC have become more than just a traditional black dress, and now reflect a wide variety of models and designs that serve the needs of khaleeji women - students workers or housewives. These abayas are elegant, and at the same time preserve the decency and originality of this traditional dress.
‘Arwa’a Abaya’ was a great way to discover creative designing talents that will help launch new designs to further introduce the world to this special line of fashion, which now runs its own fashion shows,’ she added.
The competition, the first of its kind in the region, has captured huge attention in terms of participation and audience, who watched its updates on leading Arabic channel MBC1.
