Dear Ali: I hope my question is not too embarrassing. What do Emirati ladies usually wear under their abayas? Is it something traditional or normal dress? GG, Abu Dhabi
Dear GG: Abaya questions always bring me trouble, because my dear Emirati sisters will be either with or against my way of thinking, but I think I can keep both parties happy.
Many people don’t know that a black abaya is not a creation of Islam, but more of a traditional aspect of our culture.
In our region, historically, an abaya was simply a robe that was very light and used to cover the body, sometimes from head to toe, but there are also tribes that never had the abaya as an essential piece of clothing. In the past, abayas were closed and you could only see some colourful mukhawwar showing underneath the black.
Today, abayas have become more revealing, basically to show that they’re different from other abayas. Now, it could be shorter, other colours than black, opened at the front or even a little transparent so you can see the clothes that are worn under it. Not that I approve of this last style, because it contradicts the abaya’s purpose, which is to cover the body and to not attract attention.
In short, the answer to your question is that anything could be worn underneath an abaya. Even pyjamas. Yes, really.
Despite all that, I’m happy that traditional clothes remain in fashion within a modest limit.
Ladies still love wearing their mukhawwar (a traditional woman’s dress) underneath, which has a pure Emirati identity. It can be of any colour, but talli embroidery on the chest and wrists are the most essential features. Every souq in the UAE should sell them, but they’re never sold ready-made. You have to come to the shop, pick your favourite design and then give it to a tailor to stitch it for you.
There are many shops that publish their unique mukhawwar designs on social media. You can browse the latest collection in the comfort of your home, order your choice, get it stitched by a tailor and have it delivered without needing to leave your house. Or you could pay a visit to our great Qasr Al Hosn Festival, which runs until Saturday (for more information, visit www.qasralhosnfestival.ae), and check out some of the items sold at the traditional souq corner.
Mukhawwar is a popular dress during Ramadan and Eid. I think it’s a perfect outfit to be worn under an abaya on a daily basis – but unfortunately women never listen to us men on what to wear.
Ali Al Saloom is a cultural adviser and public speaker from the UAE. Follow @AskAli on Twitter, and visit www.ask-ali.com to ask him a question.
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Director: Harmony Korine
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
What to watch out for:
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Guide to intelligent investing
Investing success often hinges on discipline and perspective. As markets fluctuate, remember these guiding principles:
- Stay invested: Time in the market, not timing the market, is critical to long-term gains.
- Rational thinking: Breathe and avoid emotional decision-making; let logic and planning guide your actions.
- Strategic patience: Understand why you’re investing and allow time for your strategies to unfold.