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.”
Debenhams, Aab partner for modest-wear clothing range
Debenhams, Aab partner for modest-wear clothing range
Amina Muaddi spotlights Rihanna’s love for her designs
DUBAI: Romanian Jordanian designer Amina Muaddi this week shared a selection of her favorite looks worn by Rihanna throughout December, highlighting several recent public appearances.
Earlier this week, Muaddi posted an image of the Fenty Beauty founder in Los Angeles, where she was spotted grocery shopping wearing snake-printed pointed-toe heels from the designer’s collection.
Rihanna styled the shoes with a bright-red leather jacket layered over a white top, pairing the oversized, structured piece with loose black wide-leg trousers worn low on the waist.
She later wore a similar snake-print design, this time in boot form, for a dinner outing. For that look, Rihanna opted for a plaid zip-up jacket by Miu Miu, styled with a long Balenciaga skirt.
Another outfit shared by Muaddi was from Rihanna’s appearance at the 35th Gotham Film Awards in New York City. The singer stepped out in a flowing lavender satin gown worn off the shoulders, featuring a relaxed, draped silhouette. She completed the ensemble with open-toe stiletto sandals from Muaddi’s designs in a matching pale lilac shade.
Muaddi also highlighted a more casual winter outing, where Rihanna wore pointed-toe snake-embossed stiletto pumps styled with a brown-and-cream faux-fur coat draped over a black top, paired with slim trousers, tinted rectangular sunglasses and minimal jewelry.
No one has an affinity for Muaddi’s shoes quite like Rihanna.
The singer-turned-designer has an unparalleled collection of heels by the designer, which have become her go-to choice of footwear whether she is attending red-carpet events, fundraising galas, taking an off-duty stroll or stepping out to dinner with her partner A$AP Rocky.
The artists have both collaborated with the designer in the past.
In 2020, the Paris-based designer teamed up with the rapper’s creative agency AWGE on a four-piece collection of flared pumps and lace-up heels.
The collection marked A$AP Rocky’s first foray into women’s footwear and was Muaddi’s first collaboration for her own brand, though she also released a limited-edition footwear capsule collection with Rihanna’s Fenty label that same year.
The collaboration was honored as Collaborator of the Year at the 34th FN Achievement Awards.
Following the sell-out success of the first collection, Rihanna enlisted Muaddi to design yet another collection for Fenty.
