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Object Note
This veil (shaylah) is part of a two-piece ensemble, worn with a matching combination overgarment tunic (thawb_kandurah) (ZI2021.500973 UAE).
Object History
This veil (shaylah) and matching combination overgarment tunic (thawb_kandurah), titled Bahr Jmayirah, were designed by the UAE designer Feryal AL Bastaki.
The outfit was donated by the designer to The Zay Initiative and will be included in the Fanan: The Art of Dress Exhibition, curated by The Zay Initiative at Zeman Awwal, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, from 28 January to 28 March 2022.
The exhibition will showcase the intersecting relationship between Art and Fashion while continuing to document the evolution of UAE traditional dress through the works of five UAE designers and five UAE artists. Together we will explore what fashion and heritage mean to contemporary Emirati women.
Feryal Al Bastaki, a Dubai based mother of three, holds a bachelor in accounting from the UAE University. She is a self-taught Emirati fashion designer whose interest in dressmaking started at a very young age when she designed dresses for family members and friends before launching Neswah Tailoring in 2003. This evolved into Feryal Al Bastaki Boutique, a leading brand in the Emirati fashion scene. She prefers to create her own trends producing unique mixes of styles.
Object Features
This example records the post-2020 stage of traditional UAE dress by matching the light silk chiffon head veil to the combination overgarment tunic (thawb_kandurah) (ZI2021.500973 UAE).
A narrow border matching the printed design of the matching overgarment tunic (thawb_kandurah) runs along one long edge of the head veil. The design is based on a watercolour painting of Jumeirah beach painted by the designer. It evokes the sea scape and coastal environment of the UAE. Shades of blues, beige, and browns are digitally printed on to the fabric of the veil.
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