"Quick, fetch me my abaya!" is a call that rings out around many an Arabian Gulf household on the arrival of an unexpected male guest, and women scramble for the formless black gown that confers instant anonymity.

But the plain robe intended to shield the female form from prying eyes and comply with Islam's requirement that women dress modestly, has become a fashion statement, with many bejeweled and gold-embroidered new designs.



Originally a baggy black cloth that covered a woman from head to toe, an increasing number of tight-fitting abayas in an array of eye-catching designs now fill the shops. One garment even sports a portrait of the Mona Lisa in Swarovski crystals.

Most abaya adornments are concentrated at the garment's hem, highlighting the hands and feet with a swatch of crystals, or gold or silver embroidery.

Javeed who sells abayas in the Gulf sold his most expensive abaya for 650 Bahrain dinars ($1,725), to a woman who ordered it for a party.
And women no longer buy just one garment to comply with Islamic mores, but now purchase abayas for weddings, parties, shopping, work and different seasons, abaya shop workers said.

So my question is....could there be an opportunity for alpaca here?


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