JEDDAH: Retailer Debenhams has partnered with Aab, one of the world’s leading modest-wear clothing brands, for a new fashion range.
The first collections will be launched in May across 14 stores in the Middle East and Asia Pacific — including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iran, Indonesia and Malaysia — and then rolled out in select UK stores.
The new range will feature in several retail shopping destinations, such as the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah, the Mall of Emirates in Dubai, Avenues Mall in Kuwait, Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, and Starhill Gallery in Kuala Lumpur.
The London-based Aab, founded in 2007 by Nazim Alim, aims to redefine modest fashion so it caters for everyday modern wardrobe staples.
The increasing demand for modest fashion, one of the fastest-growing sectors in the fashion industry, made Aab one of the world’s leading online retailers in the modest clothing sector.
Muslims around the world spent an estimated $244 billion on clothing in 2015, according to a report released in 2016 by the State of the Global Islamic Economy, which estimated revenues from modest fashion clothing purchased by Muslim women at $44 billion.
There are very few department stores in the world that have an international reach like Debenhams, particularly in prime locations, Alim told Arab News.
“Aab is a London-based brand and so working with Debenhams was a natural fit for us,” she added.
 She said that the fashion and retail industry are going through a lot of changes as consumer shopping styles evolve.
 Alim explained that Debenhams is well positioned to adapt to these changes. “We feel that Debenhams understands the thinking and creativity behind our collections including the quality in fabrics and construction of our garments,” Aab’s founder and creative director continued.
“Adding the high-quality fashion range to our product mix enables us to offer collections that are highly relevant in both international and domestic markets,” Jeanette Whithear, international trading director at Debenhams, was reported as saying by Asian Image.
“It is a step closer to creating a product offer that caters for broader customer needs.”
Alim said she is excited to offer Aab through Debenhams in the Middle East and Saudi Arabia, as there are no existing stores currently in the region. “These are regions we have been keen to enter. We look forward to stand-alone retail units to complement the collaboration with Debenhams.”