RIYADH, 1 October 2007 — Ramadan is considered a good time to open the doors to a small business, thanks to the flurry of seasonal shopping. Women in particular take the opportunity to open booths at Ramadan bazaars that are set up in women’s centers, philanthropic societies (where portions or all of the proceeds from sales go to charities) and even banks.
Bazaars exist throughout the year, but they become more intense during Ramadan, selling clothes, home decorations and, especially, abayas and thobes; it’s traditional across the Muslim world to buy new clothes during Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of Ramadan.
The admission to a seasonal bazaar being held in a Riyadh banquet hall is free, but the demand is so high that women were seen queuing up to enter. With smell of freshly ground Arabic coffee (qahwa) receiving you at the hall’s entrance, sales representatives for local designers — or the designers themselves — try to woo you to their booths to check out their designs. The hall — which is colorful and decorated with Ramadan themes — is filled with female shoppers. And beauty centers are scattered about offering discounted prices.
“This is a good chance for me to display,” said Sara, a Saudi woman who designs fashionable abayas with the kind of tastefully understated designs and patterns that are increasingly popular among women here. “I have a family, I have a young child; so working from home suits me fine. At the same time I can indulge my passion.”
These abayas aren’t the stereotypical black formless bags that drape over women in many Arab countries. A modern abaya seems more like a combination of a robe and an evening gown with hijab, of course. The robes often feature bound, decorated hemlines matching the headscarf to the robe, and sometimes sequins or appliqué along with tastefully understated printed or stitched designs at the back or along one side. A modern abaya often includes a bright pattern for the lining of the robe that peeks out from the sleeves (sometimes displayed by being folded out), which contrasts sharply with black exterior. And, of course, abayas are increasingly coming in a bright array of exterior colors and patterns — a kind of fashion rebellion against the standard black.
Saudi women are gravitating toward small business ventures in abaya design because, as Sarah says, it’s an empowering endeavor that allows women to work from home for women customers in a society that is grappling with incorporating women in the workplace. Professional Saudi women work in women’s sections that are separate from men. If a company doesn’t have this setup, it doesn’t hire women.
Beauty centers are also a popular business for Saudi women, often set up inside residencies and advertised with signs. The government is currently pushing to place women in the retail sector, first by pushing for Saudi women to replace male guest workers in shops catering to women.
While this official push to employ women continues, some women are employing themselves within the strictures applied to them either officially or by social standards.
Sarah said that after designing some abayas for friends and clients, she was advised to take advantage of bazaars to market her name and designs. Eventually she resigned from her job and became an abaya designer full time.
“My only complaint is the rarity of such bazaars,” she said. “They’re only seasonal. There’s no such thing as too many of these bazaars.”
Rana Takriti, a middle aged Saudi woman, is the owner of Majestic, which designs haute couture abayas. She started her business six years ago in a bazaar at a time when few women were starting these kinds of ventures.
Takriti’s designs became a hit among her friends and clients at a time when black and formless was virtually the only style. “Bazaars were more organized and specific six years ago,” she said. “There were corners for every product and only people starting businesses were showing.”
Takriti says she thinks these bazaars are less dynamic now, with everyone rushing to display their designs and copy each other.
Sounding like any successful entrepreneur, Takriti said that persistence and setting up long-term goals is the key to success. She said her biggest challenge is finding a suitable venue and help.
Satha is a Saudi woman who designs outfits for newborns and infants along with mother/baby sets. She says that the seasonal bazaar has been an excellent way to get her name out there in the marketplace. She too says this type of women’s bazaars should be year-round. She also complained that the fees for setting up at these bazaars are so steep that she loses money at them.
Satha paid SR12,000 to set up a booth, but she considered it more of an investment in promotion than a way to make money.
