BY now, every Saudi woman has either prepared — or is still hunting for — at least one thobe, to mark the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan.
Wearing thobes is an old tradition that goes back to a time when they were the only piece of clothing worn by Saudi women. Under the influence of other cultures, especially in Hijaz and as a result of modernity, other garments and outfits were gradually introduced into the Saudi wardrobe. Nevertheless, thobes remain inside the heart and closet of every Saudi woman. They like to proudly mark their special occasions with thobes — from gomra (henna night) to baby showers and of course most importantly, Ramadan and the first day of Eid Al-Fitr.
But why do women wear thobes in Ramadan? The reason might be because thobes blend a conservative with a chic look — in addition to the comfy feeling of wearing something loose. Some even think that it adds to the spiritual mood.
At this busy time of the year, Nawal Al-Maimani, has launched her latest collection with a wide selection of thobes and qaftans specially designed for the holy month of Ramadan and Eid. The designs are made with a twist and can be worn both formally and casually. In other words, they can be worn for Ramadan as traditional and can also be worn casually with jeans all through the year. According to Nawal: “The concept of flexibility is strongly present in most of the collection; there are many ways to wear them.”
With Indian fabrics as her favorite, Nawal experimented for this collection with three types of fabrics: taffeta shantung, raw and pure silk. “I used taffeta shantung and raw silk because they add luxuriousness and enrich the design and also have the ability to reflect different colors,” Nawal explained. “As for the pure silk, it has embroidery all over the fabric, which makes me instantly visualize my design,” she added.
The collection includes thobes, quftans, long shirts and embroidered pants sets. She even introduced a new line for young girls which includes drindl skirts, shirts and even smaller thobes to match women’s thobes — mother/daughter sets with prices ranging from SR700 to SR2500 for women and SR150 to SR350 for girls.
Next Tuesday, Nawal’s designs will be exhibited at a fashion show organized by Taiba Charitable Society. The show is part of three days of events to raise money for orphans. The program -- which will be at the InterContinental Hotel in Jeddah — includes the fashion show on Tuesday from 8-10 PM and a bazaar on Wednesday and Thursday from 5-10 PM. Tickets will be sold at the entrance. Visitors will find her latest casual collection in addition to work by other designers and many products such as thobes, abayas, jewelry, silverware, food etc.
At present, Nawal shows her designs at her home-boutique which is open every day, except Friday, from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
