RIYADH // Getting ready to go out and meet friends at the mall used to be a quick process for Rima al Mokhtar.
With only traditional black abayas to choose from, she was seldom weighed down by indecision.
That all changed recently when she bought her first coloured abaya, becoming part of a growing group of women in Saudi Arabia who are embracing a new trend and giving women in the country a choice in what to wear when heading out.
In Saudi Arabian tradition, women wear black abayas with black headscarves, but in the past few years there has been a shift and today, the streets feature a dash of colour.
However, the coloured abayas have provoked debate in Saudi, with critics saying they attract too much attention and are inappropriate for a conservative Muslim society.
Some women, however, consider them to be a fashion statement and others see them as a way of life. Although not widespread, more women seem to be grasping the notion of individuality and are seeking to exchange black for a rainbow of colours.
The trend from black to colour started discreetly. Women wore coloured abayas covered with dark, black cloth. Soon, that heavy, black cloth was replaced with a sheer one. Now coloured abayas are worn in the open.
Ms Mokhtar, 22, who lives in Jeddah, is one Saudi woman who supports the new trend. She sees this move from dreary black to fanciful colour as a fashion statement.
"As Saudi girls we want to show our style. Mix it up - combine both modern and tradition a little," she said.
Despite her daring attitude, Ms Mokhtar is aware there is a limit to how far she can go. "Of course I wouldn't wear my coloured abaya in certain malls for fear of harassment and unwanted looks. But I wear them when going out at major malls, dinners and social gatherings."
For some it is less about the fashion and more about a personal choice. "It's a way of life for me. I dislike black and would rather wear colour. It is as simple as it sounds. I'm not seeking to be a fashion icon," said Nairoz Bakur, 22, a university student.
One of those helping to lead the trend is Shoa'a al Ghalib, an abaya designer in Jeddah.
"I abhor black. Frankly, it clenches my soul," said Ms Ghalib, who has been designing coloured abayas for more than a year. "Does it even seem appropriate in this heat that we wear such a colour?"
The change in attitude is bringing good business for abaya designers. An abaya can cost from 300 riyals (Dh294) to 5,000 riyals and coloured abayas tend to cost more than the traditional black ones.
The market varies from city to city in the kingdom, with Jeddah being the most open to the new trend.
Although some women support these colourful abayas, others see them as unnecessary.
"These abayas are considered attractive and they attract much unneeded attention. To keep a clear conscience I'd steer clear from these colours and hold on to my black one for as long as possible," said Hanadi Marhgalani, who lives in Riyadh.
Those opposing the new trend include many men, who said they prefer the standard black abaya.
"I would never even consider that one of my female relatives wears this coloured abaya. The abaya is supposed to cover women not turn heads," said Mohammed Hanky, who lives in Riyadh.
However, Ms Ghalib does not understand why women are forced to wear black.
"If their reasoning for preventing coloured abayas is specified especially for sexual harassment, then how is it that even dressed in black from head to toe, girls are still bothered? The problem isn't with what we women wear, it's with the men's inappropriate gazing."
Ahmad al Jardan, the spokesman for the Commission for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, said the new abayas were not acceptable in Saudi society.
"We don't see this as a fad. If there are any situations with girls wearing these abayas then they are exceptional. And anything that proclaims the abaya from its religious state that has been specified by our religious scholars we no doubt reject completely.
"I don't expect that [coloured abayas will become popular] as Saudi society is a strict Muslim country that refuses any clothing that is indecent and inappropriate for any person."
However, some said the topic has provoked debate about a woman's role in Saudi Arabia.
"Coloured abayas show girls in an independent light. They are still abiding by Islam's rules and with their own style," Sami al Tokhais said.
"Everything new is labelled as evil. You have to support your argument, not label anything new as wrong. Here is the problem - it is all about society."
Samira al Suliamany, a mother of four from Jeddah, said: "It all comes down to why the person is wearing it in the first place.
"Abayas are made to protect women from men's constant gazing. So if a girl wears a coloured abaya to allure men, then doesn't that contradict the purpose of the abaya?"
* The National
DUBAI WORLD CUP RACE CARD
6.30pm Meydan Classic Trial US$100,000 (Turf) 1,400m
7.05pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Group Three $250,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
8.15pm Dubai Sprint Listed Handicap $175,000 (T) 1,200m
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-2 Group Two $450,000 (D) 1,900m
9.25pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,800m
10pm Handicap $135,000 (T) 1,400m
The National selections
6.30pm Well Of Wisdom
7.05pm Summrghand
7.40pm Laser Show
8.15pm Angel Alexander
8.50pm Benbatl
9.25pm Art Du Val
10pm: Beyond Reason
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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Petrarch: Everywhere a Wanderer
Christopher Celenza,
Reaktion Books
If you go...
Etihad Airways flies from Abu Dhabi to Kuala Lumpur, from about Dh3,600. Air Asia currently flies from Kuala Lumpur to Terengganu, with Berjaya Hotels & Resorts planning to launch direct chartered flights to Redang Island in the near future. Rooms at The Taaras Beach and Spa Resort start from 680RM (Dh597).
Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
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Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Company profile
Company name: Suraasa
Started: 2018
Founders: Rishabh Khanna, Ankit Khanna and Sahil Makker
Based: India, UAE and the UK
Industry: EdTech
Initial investment: More than $200,000 in seed funding
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.