Couture Hijab Fashion in North America: Vela ScarvesIf you haven't heard about Vela Scarves yet, you've been under a rock! No, just kidding. But it is about time you know about Vela Scarves, if you haven't heard of them before. Vela Scarves is a Fountain Valley-based online fashion company that produces high quality
hijabs, or headscarves, for Muslim women. It was started in 2009, and has quickly gathered a following of loyal buyers. And it is not surprising - Muslim women are just as fashion conscious as the next woman. Women were just waiting for couture hijab fashion, and Vela Scarves is reaping in the benefits! Scroll down to see the designs, and you'll know why.
Vela, derived from the Latin word for "veil," was established in the fall of 2009 when Atik and some of her friends created a fan page for the company and began posting the scarves on Facebook. With more orders coming in than the college students could handle, Marwa sat down with her sister, Tasneem, to create a real business plan for the company. Since then, Vela has been registered as an official LLC, hired a manufacturer to create the scarves and produces an average of 200 headscarves per month. They even receive international orders from Singapore, Malaysia, Germany, Turkey and South Africa, to name a few countries.
"This is just something that fell into my lap," explained Atik. "I didn't know how big Vela was going to be until I received so much positive feedback from girls who are very fashionable but are having a hard time practicing the hijab properly."
In Islamic tradition, both men and women are supposed to dress modestly so as to draw attention away from superficial attributes and to promote respect and humility towards the opposite gender. For women, the requirements include covering all parts of the body except the face and hands, wearing loose and opaque clothing so as to not reveal the outline of the body. For many Muslim girls living in the West, however, adhering to these standards while trying not to commit a fashion faux pas is almost impossible.
Frustrated with the limited selection of scarves that Muslim storekeepers import from the Middle East, Atik, whose parents are from Syria, began designing her own hijabs, adding ruffles, zippers, pleats, beaded sequins and other elements of Western fashion.
As a nursing student at Cal State Fullerton, Atik always found herself sketching and doodling in biology lectures. She studied fashion magazines and stayed current on the latest releases from designers like Marc Jacobs, Alexander McQueen and Lebanese-born Elie Saab. With these fashion moguls as inspiration, Atik aims to prove the compatibility of the Islamic dress code with Westernized fashion.
"American and European clothes are getting looser," argued Atik, "we are seeing longer dresses, sleeves on evening gowns--clothes that adhere to Islamic standards of modesty."
Source: http://blogs.ocweekly.com/navelgazing/2011/07/islamic_headscarves_adopt_west.php
Couture Hijab Fashion by Vela Scarves
De Rose Tan Couture Hijab Design By Vela Scarves
The Silk Chain Couture Hijab Style By Vela Scarves
This scarf mixes both fabric and jewelry to create an elegant look. 100% silk fabric lined with single mini gold chain.
The Blair Couture Hijab Style By Vela Scarves
The Blair is distinguished by a cream bow with black velvet paisley print and a sparkle gem in the middle. Rich coral-colored two-tone chiffon fabric.
The Victorian Pleat Couture Hijab Style By Vela Scarves
Victorian pleat: Vela’s signature look is back! This distinctive design features four toppling layers of handmade pleats. This scarf is perfect for any occasion and is versatile enough to be worn for both formal and informal occasions.
The Mademoiselle Couture Hijab Style by Vela Scarves
Mademoiselle: Designed with grace in mind, this dusty rose chiffon scarf
features a waterfall of ruffles with contrasting beige hem.
