To find the Scarlet Vine Print Tayyiba Dress, shop here: US, UK, Canada

To find the Nur Pants, shop here: US, UK, Canada

To find the Constellation Print Cowl Neck Trapeze Top, shop here: US, UK, Canada

To find the Flower Sundry Print Contrast Skirt, shop here: US, UK

Here are the images from the amazing fashion show put on by the wonderful sisters at the MCC Full-Time School! Thanks again for all your hard work and initiative!

For our first look, the theme was “Urban Casual.”

This collection makes no excuses. When you just need to be real. When you just need to be you.

Above: the L.A. Denim Jilbab in Midnight Blue (US, UK, Canada) worn with our Classic Light Rayon Wrap in Milk (US, UK).

Above: our Light Jersey Maliki Hoodie in Pastel Pink (US, UK, Canada).

The second look, the theme was “Feminine.”

The feminine touch. Style, elegance, sophistication and flow are what makes this collection unique.

Above: our Embroidered Kimono Sleeve Dress in Lilac (US, UK, Canada).

Above: our Linen Shangri-La Dress in Sand (US, Canada).

Our third look that was presented was called “Classic Casual.”

The classic SHUKR look, anytime, anyplace. Feel confident as you express the modesty inherent in our faith without sacrificing style.

Above: our Anjum Top in Poppy Red (UK, Canada).

Above: our Linen Badia Tunic in Light Grey (US, UK, Canada).

Above: our Mumtaz Embroidered Skirt in Black (US, UK, Canada).

If you are in London and are interested in modest fashion, there will be a panel discussion at the University of the Arts London entitled, Modest Fashion: Faith-based Fashion and Internet Retail on Tuesday 25th May 2010 from 5:30 to 8: 45. Here is a description of the event:

To what extent has internet shopping become an important tool for those who want to combine fashion with faith? How is modesty defined in different faith communities? And how far are religious identities and appearances being re-shaped through the market?

These are just some of the questions that are arising in relation to increased participation in modest fashion. LCF Professor of Cultural Studies Reina Lewis and Dr Emma Tarlo, Reader in Anthropology at Goldsmiths, University of London, invite you to a special event to mark the launch of a new AHRC/ESRC- funded research project on modest fashion. With increasing numbers of women choosing to dress modestly due to their religious beliefs, a distinguished panel will discuss whether a new market is emerging for consumers from different faith groups. In addition, they will explore the potential impact for inter-faith dialogue of these shared dress practices among Muslim, Jewish, and Christian women.

Joining Reina and Emma in the consideration of these important questions will be LCF Visiting Professor Annelies Moors, Professor of contemporary Muslim societies at the department of anthropology and sociology, University of Amsterdam, and principal investigator of an international NORFACE research programme on ‘The emergence of Islamic fashion in Europe’, and Professor Niloofar Haeri, Professor of Anthropology at Johns Hopkins University, and author of Sacred Language, Ordinary People: Dilemmas of Culture and Politics, currently studying comparative concepts of modesty in Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Following the discussion, there will be a reception to celebrate the release of Emma Tarlo’s book, Visibly Muslim: Fashion, Politics, Faith (Berg, 2010). We at SHUKR were honored to be mentioned in her book as part of her investigation of how fashion and faith interact for British Muslims. This exciting new book has already been given some excellent reviews (see below) and we highly recommend it.

“Beautifully written and compelling, Emma Tarlo’s new book finds a way to be fair-minded in the political minefield that surrounds the dress of visibly Muslim women in the UK. Animated by the nuanced detail of sartorial biographies and documenting changes in hijab fashion, Visibly Muslim provides a sophisticated examination of the dramatic increase in covered dressing and the reasons why it continues to matter so much to its practitioners and observers. This makes an essential read.”

–Reina Lewis, Professor of Cultural Studies, London College of Fashion. Author of Rethinking Orientalism: Women, Travel and the Ottoman Harem.

“Tarlo’s finely written analysis of Muslim women’s dress choices in Britain is sensitive, thoughtful and measured– a refreshing counterpoint to the two dimensional media coverage of the subject. She examines such choices from multiple angles: personal, aesthetic, social, religious and political, while making sure that we understand the dynamism inherent in decisions about dress.”

–Niloofar Haeri, Professor of Anthropology, John Hopkins University. Author of Sacred Language: Ordinary People, Dilemmas of Culture and Politics in Egypt

Above: Sheykh Faraz Rabbani wearing one of our Cotton Pleated Hats (US, UK).

Shaykh Faraz was born in Karachi, Pakistan and raised in Toronto, Canada. He entered the University of Toronto with a full scholarship and completed his Bachelor’s in Economics & Commerce in May 1997. While in Canada, Shaykh Faraz was involved with various organizations and projects, including founding and running the monthly The Muslim Voice and acting as the Vice-President of the University of Toronto MSA from 1994-1996. While in Toronto, he was involved in various Islamic study circles and educational programs, including those of Shaykh Ahmad Talal al-Ahdab, Shaykh Faisal Abd al-Razzaq, and Shaykh Muhammad Zahid Abu Ghudda.

After graduation, Shaykh Faraz traveled with his family to Damascus, Syria, to formally seek Islamic knowledge. In Damascus, he studied Arabic, Aqida, Mantiq, Hanafi Fiqh, Shafi’i Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, and Hadith with a number of scholars including Shaykh Haytham Idilbi, Shaykh Abd al-Rahman Kharsa, Shaykh Abd al-Haleem Abu Sha`r, Shaykh Umar al-Sabbagh, Shaykh Jihad Brown, Shaykh Mu’min al-Annan, Shaykh Hassan al-Hindi, Sayyidi Shaykh Adib Kallas, Shaykh Muhammad Jumuah, Sh. Abd al-Razzaq al-Halabi, Shaykh Haytham, Shaykh Abd al-Haleem Abu Sha`r, and Ustadh Mahmud al-Bayruti. In the Summer of 2000, he moved to Amman, Jordan. Upon moving to Jordan, his teachers advised him to focus on teaching what he had covered, for which they gave him encouragement and permission, and to continue his personal research and study.

He has two published books: Sufism & Good Character and The Absolute Essentials of Islam: A Basic Hanafi Primer on Faith, Prayer, & the Path of Salvation. [White Thread Press, 2004.] He also runs the blog Seeker’s Digest and has a regular column in Islamica Magazine. Encouraged by his instructors to return to the West to teach, he now lives in Toronto with his wife and three children.

Above: Imam Ali Siddiqui at Manzanar Internment Camp in California on “Hiroshima-Nagasaki Remembrance Day”. He’s wearing the Aligarh Jacket (currently out of stock, but a picture can be seen here). The Manzanar Pilgrimage takes place to remember the Japanese-Americans who were incarcerated by the US government during the World War II. This photo was also carried by AlJazeera.

Imam Ali Siddiqui is a peace and labor activist and an advocate for justice who is immersed in the Liberation Philosophy of Islam evident through his 35 years of community service including spiritual/educational development and service to low-wage workers, the sick, and the incarcerated.

He is a recognized Friday Khatib, Islamic teacher, Muslim Chaplain, Family Councilor and youth adviser, poet and writer, involved in the teaching of Islam, comparative religion, history and contemporary issues to Muslims and non-Muslims. He frequently delivers invocations including City Council and School Board meetings of Corona, Pomona, and Chino, CA; Democratic Party of Orange County, CA; PwJ Center; UN Association; CLUE-LA; Manzanar Pilgrimage; and UN International Day Peace.

Imam Siddiqui is one of the Founding Directors (along with the Congresswoman, Hon. Linda Sanchez) of Orange County Interfaith Committee for Worker Justice. He is also a One-Nation-for-All expert and a member of the Speakers Bureau of MSA of US & Canada.

He has been on speaking tours to Belgium, Canada, Germany, Great Britain, Iran, Pakistan, and Switzerland and across the USA including the 2006 tour organized by Piedad and Latino Muslim Association to mobilize Latino Muslims across Florida. He frequently presents the Islamic perspective and a Muslim point of view on current affairs to non-Muslims and Muslims. He has been very active in organizing seminars, workshops, teach-ins, retreats and conferences to promote justice, Islamic awareness and interfaith understanding. He has also organized special programs during the month of Indigenous People, Black History, Women, Labor and Humane Immigration, Ramadan, and Hajj in California, Indiana, Colorado, Chicago, and New York.

As a Guest Lecturer, Imam Siddiqui also teaches various aspects of Islam, Islamic Civilization and Religions in America including History of Islam in America, Islamic Institutions in America at the Claremont Graduate University, School of Religion, Claremont, CA; Cal Poly University, Pomona, CA; California Baptist University, Riverside, CA; Disciple of Christ Seminary, Urban Ministry Program, Claremont, CA; University of La Verne, La Verne, CA; Mt. San Antonio College, Walnut, CA; and Santa Rosa College, Santa Rosa, CA. He has also taught Workshop on Islam at the Denver Free University, Denver, CO.

Ramadan Mubarak from SHUKR!

This is one of our busiest times of year here, and one of our favorite! This year we have a stunning Ramadan/Eid Collection, and I wanted to highlight my top 10 picks from this collection (in no particular order).

My favorite piece this year is the Gia Lai Dress (US, UK, Canada). Tabassum outdid herself on this one. Basically, I’m obsessed with it. It is two pieces: an inner dress and an outer gown. The inner dress is this nice mandarin collared number, but it’s the outer gown that kills me. It just has such great flow. It’s simple, elegant, and I’ve never seen anything like it.

My second favorite is the Mussaret Dress (US, UK, Canada). This is another wonderful two-piece combination, except the inner dress is simpler than the Gia Lai, and the outer gown is more complex due to the embroidery. This one is a hair’s breath from a traditional abaya, but has this classy elegance that I’m becoming so fond of.

Third on my list is the Cowl Neck Abaya (US, UK, Canada). It’s just timeless. Such a nice sense of dignity, modesty and grace, it reminds me of some amazing women who have shaped my life. You know who you are.

Fourth is the Embroidered Drawstring Skirt (US, UK, Canada). I’m normally not a big skirt person, but this one is amazing. The gold embroidery in that interlaced pattern strikes the difficult balance of being both fancy and understated. I could match this with almost anything in my wardrobe and instantaneously take my outfit up a notch.

Fifth is the Dotted Swirl Tunic (US, UK, Canada). It’s just such an unusual addition to the SHUKR collection that it stands in a class by itself. Made from chiffon, it also has a very good flow.

Sixth is the Contrast Duster (US, UK, Canada). I love garments that are simple and practical, but also have some flair. On this piece, it is the cuffs that give it that extra push. And, it’s a great garment to wear to the office.

Not to neglect the men, the seventh is the Hussein Galabiyya (US, UK, Canada). Seriously, this is what a modern galabiyya looks like. Sharp, easy to care for, and lightweight.

Number eight is the Azhar Jubba (US, UK, Canada). A modified remake of the Damascan Jubba (US), it has a slimmer fit, wider sleeves and loses the shoulder pads. I could definitely see Keanu Reeves in this.

Ninth on my list is the Kalima Tencel Denim Trousers (US, UK, Canada). Nothing is more comfortable than these are. Never heard of Tencel? Made from wood pulp, this natural fiber combines softness, strength, and durability, is easy to care for, wrinkle-resistant, and breathes really well. If you’ve been looking for that perfect (yet modest) pair of jeans, you’re not going to come closer than these.

Last but not least are the Hasan Trousers (US, UK, Canada). Comfortable and casual, these might be the perfect pants to wear while you are fasting. They are loose, soft and have big pockets. I’m not sure about the connection between pockets and fasting, but given the choice between pockets and no pockets, I’d choose the pockets every time.

Feel free to comment letting us know what your favorite garments are (from any collection), so in the future, we can have a customer-based top ten list. We’d love to hear from you.

~ Beth, Blog Admin

SHUKR is happy to welcome our first guest blogger, Jana, from Hijab Style–the UK’s first style guide for Muslim Women! We love her blog and are very pleased to have her present three amazing outfits she has created!

This outfit is great for a day spent outside in the sun. A pair of jeans are a wardrobe staple – wear them with this stylish Karima top in Zinfandel. Add a complimentary hijab, duffle bag and comfortable flats to keep you going all day long. And of course – don’t forget the sunnies!

Modal Karima Top £32.95, SHUKR (US, UK)

Dual Waistband Jeans £34.95, SHUKR (US, UK)
Geometrical Flower Jacquard Wrap £9.95, SHUKR (UK)
Cream buckle duffle bag £20, Dorothy Perkins
Oversize Aviators £15, Topshop
Pink frill pumps £20, Dorothy Perkins

Neutrals are always a key trend for spring, and this beautiful Aghabani blouse fits the bill perfectly. Just add a simple skirt and hijab in buttercream, and keep jewellery to a minimum for a classy, polished look.

Aghabani Embroidered Blouse £34.95, SHUKR (US, UK)
Twill Cotton A-Line Skirt £28.95, SHUKR (UK)
Crinkled Wrap £9.95, SHUKR (US, UK)
Gold coloured moc croc enamel hinge bangle £10, Debenhams
Tan Majorette pocket shoulder bag £60, Debenhams
Dolly Cake Shoes £44.99, Clarks

Special occasions call for special outfits. This elegant dress in lilac is ideal for summer events. Add interest with an embroidered bag, wedge heels and delicate jewellery.

Faux Wrap Viscose Dress £44.95, SHUKR (US, UK)
Paisley Leaf Jacquard Wrap £7.95, SHUKR (US, UK)

Marcasite Ring £29.01, Treasure Box
Dakota Silver Disc Large Embroidered Bag £40, Accessorize
Lotus Leather Court Shoe £60, Barratts

For more wonderful outfits and fashion advice, visit http://hijabstyle.blogspot.com/.

~ Beth, Blog admin

We at SHUKR would like to extend a big congratulations to the winner of our YouTube Contest, EidFilms for their video, “Islamic Identity and Dress.”

We are grateful to all our participants and will be sending them coupons for 20% off their next purchase for all their hard work. If you haven’t yet, please check out all the entries at http://www.youtube.com/shukrislamicclothing.

Once upon a time, men were men, and they wore dresses.

Of course I’m being facetious. The very definition of the word, “dress” is that of a feminine garment. However, the concept of an ankle- or calf-length garment for men is by no means feminine. Historically, the early Arabs merely called it a qamees, or “shirt.” Later, distinctions were made between the currently more typical short shirt and the much longer variety. Despite the fact that men have been wearing these long garments for most of human history, there remain a number of Westerners who jokingly refer to my garment of choice as a “dress.”

Ironically, I am not the one wearing clothing of the opposite gender. Rather, it was Yves Saint-Laurent who popularized women’s trousers. Prior to him, standalone trousers were not worn by women. (The salwar kameez does not consist of standalone trousers, but rather, baggy trousers covered by a knee-length shirt, hardly comparable to Western trousers.) Given that YSL was a homosexual, it kind of makes sense that he’d want to improve women’s appearances by making them look more like men.

At SHUKR, our head designer is a woman. Furthermore, the men at SHUKR believe that women have a natural advantage in the appearance department, and don’t need to dress like men to look good. Take my word for it; I wear the dress around here.

(Above: Salim Galabiyya, US, UK)

~ Moustafa, Manager, Retail Division