Object History
This cloak (abayah) was donated by Mariam Abdullah Al Murr, a socialite from Dubai, and was worn for only a brief period of time as a part of a short lived fashion trend that came, played a role, and then disappeared.
Mariam, a BS graduate of American University Sharjah and works at Dubai tourist authority. She is married to her maternal cousin and has 2 daughters and 3 sons.
Object Features
This cloak is an interesting example of an evolved abayah. The growth of the cosmopolitan social and commercial life of Dubai at the start of the new century led to a level of cross-cultural fertilization that resulted in the development of Arabic clothing with western influences. Women in Dubai were generally the first to experiment with such novel trends.
If you imagine a square fabric, spread it on a flat surface, and fold the corners so they meet at the center, you have basically created the shape of this cloak (abayah). A diamond-shaped gusset signifies this centre point where the fabric is gathered and attached.
This abayah is made from a stretchy lustrous synthetic silk and employs a highly stylised cape format, used to accentuate the figure by draping to create a silhouette, in contrast to their earlier baggy, shapeless cousin. This type of cloak (abayah) was worn in public for everyday use and became popular as a fashion statement to show more of the wearer’s body shape while still adhering to traditional customs.
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