SAUDI ARABIA - World Cup fashion hits Islamic dress, as Saudi fashion designer Rania Khogeer has produced a twist on the traditional black abayya, worn by most of the country's women, with more colourful garments which depict teams competing in this year's football World Cup. Saudi fashion designer Rania Khogeer stands next to her World Cup abayyas, or traditional dresses for women, designed with the colours of the flags of countries taking part in the World Cup 2010 at her shop. The Saudi Arabian designer has launched a new range of World Cup abayas despite criticism from fellow designers in the strict Islamic country. Rania Khogaer, who is also a design teacher at King Abdulaziz University, has created a range of abayyas decorated with the colours and flags of international teams competing in South Africa, Arab News reports. “My World Cup abayyas are not un-Islamic. My abayyas are traditional in that they are mainly black, they cover the entire body except the face, feet and hands. I've just added the World Cup teams' logos and flags,” she told the paper. However, the teacher has come under fire for crossing cultural and religious boundaries with the new clothes. “I am shocked at how girls could wear such abayyas in malls and cafés. I think they're designed to show off and attract men's attention,” said Sarah Ahmad Mazhar, a Saudi designer. Fellow designer Tuhami Al-Arabi told the paper he would not design World Cup abayyas for women, but that he was prepared to design something for Saudi men. Despite the criticism, Khogaer said her World Cup abayyas are popular among her students and their families. “I've designed abayas for all of the teams that are participating in the World Cup. Although Saudi Arabia has not qualified, I've designed an abaya especially for them. Many of my costumers have told me that they are going to wear Saudi abayyas,” she told the paper.
