In the UAE, Ramadān traditions start in mid-Sh’bān (the month preceding Ramadān on the day known as Hag Al-Laylah. Emirati children dress in their best clothes and visit neighbouring homes reciting songs and poems. The neighbours welcome them with sweets and nuts, that the children collect in traditional cloth bags.

Ramadan is the month of piety, charity, and blessings. During Ramadan, capable Muslims are required to abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk. Such fasting is one of the five pillars of Islam. Traditionally, families gather at the house of the male head of the family, usually the grandfather, to celebrate their first Iftar in festive dress. The spirit of togetherness, charity, and family cohesion is celebrated all month long, expressed through religious, social and cultural events.

These outfits, part of The Zay Collection, represent the spirit of the month of Ramadan, in their colours and variety. There are no particular outfits dedicated especially to the month, however, because people tend to socialize and gather in the evenings they tend to dress in their best while observing modesty and comfort.

The aim of The Zay collection is the preservation of contemporary Arab dress heritage for the benefit of future generations.