TRENDY Islamic headscarves will be showcased at a fashion event in Dublin on Saturday.
The female-only catwalk show at University College Dublin, organised by the university’s Islamic Society and Fosis Ireland, will feature participants modelling stylish hijabs, which are garments covering the hair, shoulders and arms, and which are worn by female Muslims from puberty.
In Islam, the hijab is seen as protecting a woman’s ‘modesty’, and therefore the organisers of this Saturday’s event felt it appropriate to limit attendance to women only.
Intan Syafiqah of the Federation of Student Islamic Societies (Fosis) at UCD told Metro Éireann that most of the participants would feel more comfortable with a female-only audience. However, she added that non-Muslim women are also welcome to attend.
“It’s an event for all women in Ireland regardless of faith and race and for us to share what the hijab really means to us Muslim women,” she said.
Syafiqah also explained that hijabs are not as difficult to source in Dublin as some might think.
“In Ireland, we have an Asian store in Dublin called Libaas which sells various hijabs and clothing,” she said. “But most of the younger generation would simply just go to any fashion outlet on Grafton or Henry Street like Awear, Next, Tie Rack or even Penneys to buy pashminas or neck scarves and wear them as hijabs. The mosques sell hijabs and women’s clothing during their exhibitions or sales as well.”
Tickets for the Hijab Fashion show are €2, with €1 going to Islamic Relief’s Gaza humanitarian fund.
For further information visit the show website at hijabfashionshow.wordpress.com.
