Muslim streetwear designer Saeedah Haque, who recently unveiled her new collection at the VFILES LAB show, is aiming to use her work to normalize the traditional Abaya garment.
Her namesake brand’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection features what the designer describes as a reimagining of the Abaya with military elements.
“Trump’s America saw the rise of Islamophobia and continued misunderstanding of Muslim women, especially those that are visually Muslim and often the target of hate,” Haque said of the collection. “Combining the unapologetic attitude of the next generation with the traditional Abaya garment that millions of young Muslim girls wear, SH aims to uplift women who wear the Hijab with streetwear incorporating oversized silhouettes, bold colors, and long hemlines.”
The inaugural VFILES LAB Show—which spotlights the recipients of a $10,000 grant made possible by the nonprofit VFILES Foundation—took place earlier this month on VEEPS, a streaming platform whose co-founders include Good Charlotte brothers Joel and Benji Madden.
Billed as the first label to reinvent the Abaya garment into “utilitywear with street sensibility,” Saeedah Haque is a ready-to-wear brand curated in London. The label’s creations draw influences from the founder’s South Asian heritage and the portrayal of Muslim identity, with Hague seeking to voice an “unapologetic approach to design” while also making the reclaiming of the narrative a key part of the label’s mission.
See select pieces from Saeedah Haque’s Spring/Summer 2021 collection below. And for more info, including how to shop, click here.
