The fashion tastes of Arab and Japanese women are more closely aligned than it might seem. After all, both the abaya and the kimono are designed to be conservative, while reflecting their country’s culture and traditions.
Tokyo designer Eriko Yamanashi highlights these parallels in her newly launched range of kimono abayas, which are available now at Les Foulards boutique in The Dubai Mall.
“There are a number of similarities between the garments,” says Yamanashi. “The abaya is an irreplaceable piece of an Arab woman’s wardrobe, and so is a kimono in Japan. Both have evolved to adjust to modern fashionable trends, yet have retained the lineage and class that distinguishes them.
“In Japan, we hide the body with the kimono – we do not reveal too much and prefer to conceal it. The same is true of the abaya, where skin is not shown. There’s beauty in covering up.’
The Jewyn by Eriko collection, which features 15 ready-to-wear abayas and two couture pieces, has been made in partnership with Japanese textile company Tsukamoto. The dominant base colour is black, with embroidered lotus flowers and exotic blooms accenting collars, hems and sleeves. The silhouette is that of a modern, straight-line abaya, with Japanese elements including long kimono sleeves with generous pouches and bateau necklines.
“Fusing the abaya and kimono into one was no easy challenge,” says Yamanashi, “particularly as I wanted to retain the individuality of both. But it was worth the effort and the new look is elegant, trendy, fashionable and aesthetically pleasing.
“In short, the pieces are bespoke for a UAE woman who takes her wardrobe very seriously.”
Six months in the making, Yamanashi’s collection came about after she was approached by Emirati entrepreneur Amani Al Shamsi, owner of Les Foulards and the abaya brand Jeywn.
Yamanashi, who normally designs understated, elegant apparel lines in Tokyo, was keen to meld centuries of kimono history with trends in Arab modestwear.
“I was honoured to take up this challenge,” she says. “It’s been a stimulating and demanding process and I’m hoping this becomes a new trend in abaya fashion. “I’ve used traditional Japanese fabrics and I’ve taken away the obi belt, which would normally keep the kimono closer to the body. It’s also very common for us to wear layered garments underneath our kimonos, so I’ve incorporated that element into some abayas, too.”
In Japan, kimonos are commonly passed down from grandmothers, with girls receiving their first one at about the age of 3. They can be worn at any time of the year, but most frequently on formal occasions, such as New Year, weddings and tea ceremonies.
Traditionally, they are made from an entire bolt of fabric, such as silk, hemp or crepe, which is decorated with textile art, tie-dye, hand-embroidery or stencilled patterns.
Much like western fashion trends, kimono colours, motifs and prints reflect the four seasons. Cherry-blossom designs are popular during the spring, aquatic images denote summer, Japanese maples characterise autumn, and plum blossoms represent winter.
“We often use animal prints in our kimonos, but for this first collection of abayas I wanted to just focus on flowers for spring/summer 2017,” says Yamanashi. “Of course, I’ve also used a lot of black and, like the UAE with the abaya, the colour black is very important to us in Japan. So is gold and we use them both for formal ceremonies, even weddings.”
In Japan, kimonos can cost from Dh7,000 and Dh40,000. Pieces in the Jewyn by Eriko line range from Dh2,200 to Dh4,500.
“I’m not targeting Japanese ladies with this collection, I’m hoping that Emirati women will enjoy wearing the pieces,” Yamanashi says. “I would like to roll out my kimono abayas in other emirates, too, and might even be back next year to show at Arab Fashion Week.”
The Jewyn by Eriko range is available at Les Foulards, on the ground floor of The Dubai Mall www.facebook.com/LesFoulards/about
rduane@thenational.ae
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Jigra
Starring: Alia Bhatt, Vedang Raina, Manoj Pahwa, Harsh Singh
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
If you go:
Getting there:
Flying to Guyana requires first reaching New York with either Emirates or Etihad, then connecting with JetBlue or Caribbean Air at JFK airport. Prices start from around Dh7,000.
Getting around:
Wildlife Worldwide offers a range of Guyana itineraries, such as its small group tour, the 15-day ‘Ultimate Guyana Nature Experience’ which features Georgetown, the Iwokrama Rainforest (one of the world’s four remaining pristine tropical rainforests left in the world), the Amerindian village of Surama and the Rupununi Savannah, known for its giant anteaters and river otters; wildlifeworldwide.com
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
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MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
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Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
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MATCH INFO
New Zealand 176-8 (20 ovs)
England 155 (19.5 ovs)
New Zealand win by 21 runs
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
The biog
Hometown: Cairo
Age: 37
Favourite TV series: The Handmaid’s Tale, Black Mirror
Favourite anime series: Death Note, One Piece and Hellsing
Favourite book: Designing Brand Identity, Fifth Edition
