The “haik” is a North African traditional Islamic dress that was worn by Algerian women to showcase their resistance during the French settlement (1830—1847). Originating from Turkey, the haik was used for more than 300 years prior to French colonial rule; today, it is generally adopted by the elder generation of Algerian women.
Now, in the GCC, the haik is being given a contemporary spin by designer Faiza Bouguessa whose modern abaya brand is steadily building a following across the region. Bouguessa, of Algerian descent, explained to Style.com/Arabia that she also looked to the French movie “Ali Baba et les 40 voleurs” (Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves) released in 1954 and starring Samia Gamal when designing her Ramadan collection. “I was hypnotized by this movie as a child as it reflected my vision of the Arab world—and the costumes were absolutely spectacular.”
Recalling the haik, Bouguessa chose a neutral palette on light linen featuring cotton linings, and on some looks, explored graphic lines that recalled Gamal’s costumes from the film. Upon first glance, the pieces stand out for their fine tailoring, but take a closer look and note the elegant embellishments: white fringe runs down the sides of one jalabiya; gold sequins decorate bell-cut sleeves that hover above the elbows on another; and a two-toned gray and black abaya features double, narrow lapels.
The brand, which showcased a critically acclaimed Fall 2015 collection during Fashion Forward season five was recently worn by Beyoncé and featured on her Instagram.
The collection will launch at the Fashion Lounge by Hess&Co at The Dubai Mall on May 25th until the 27th and at other events via boutique collaborations to be announced shortly.
