Matt KwongJanuary 29. 2009
ABU DHABI // A swimming costume designed to protect the modesty of a pregnant Saudi princess who wanted to continue exercising in the water is proving a surprise success around the world.
The full-length polyester and Lycra bodysuit, known as the MyCozzie, was initially tailored towards conservative Muslim women, and even has a detachable hijab. But orders are coming in from customers of all faiths and nationalities keen to shield themselves from the sun as well as stares.
Jenny Rose, 42, the Dubai-based designer who created the costume in 2007, said its design was intended to allow Muslim women more freedom to enjoy the beach or public swimming pool, but has proved increasingly popular with western tourists and expatriates, not least because it provides effective protection against harmful ultraviolet rays.
Read the rest here.
These are photos of Jenny Rose's swimsuits which she displayed at the Dubai Fashion Week back in October last year:
I've personally never tried an Islamic swimsuit before, though there some UK outlets for them like Modest Swimsuits which sells the Ahiida Burkinis, and Modestly Active which stocks a range of brands. Anyone have any experiences swimming in these before? Share with us!
22 comments:
I like these so much more than the ones we usually see...Hmmm a bit pricey though at 350 Dirhams!!
Oh yes! I have a burqini which I tried out in Australia...It's lovely, really. I had a blast!!
hmm, do we really think the saudi religious police will be ok with having women swim around in these? I read full length and expected a much longer top.. why cant they stop mid calf with big slits to the thighs? wouldnt that be more covering??
Oh yess.. and I've been selling this like from last year.. and it surely has good market in England. See my website: malabisswimwear.blogspot.com
But again, my website is so boring. I shall update them soon. More design coming up. TQ!
assalamualaikum...
i have one by arena swimswear... i love it to the max! howver, i do get stares from the curious lot but i would still recommend it :-)
Interesting.
Do you remember when that Australian designer did swimsuits for Muslim women a few years ago? I read an article about it online.
Nice to see designers are trying to cover all their fashion bases:)
I like them! They're of the nicer Islamic ones, I think.
I almost bought myself one of these last summer: http://www.modestswimwearsolutions.com/
Not really a hijab-friendly swimsuit, but a modest one compared to today's standards. Good for Christians or others who want to be more modest but not fully dressed either.
I like the look of the MyCozzie. The contrast side panel, fingertip length, and capri pants are pretty and flattering. I would prefer a jewel neckline to the stand-up collar.
I wonder how the top is kept from riding up, what sort of support they have, if it would get sandy inside, and whether the fabric would become heavy during swimming.
Man, I love the sky blue and black one! I want it I want it! LoL
I have the blue one in the picture :)
Its extremely comfortable, and also very nice to swim in when there are men around - as opposed to the typical ones which are really tight fitting.
Only criticism I have, is that they get a bit transparent when you are in the water, so you have to make sure you wear something underneath the top.
Oh interesting, I've previously heard of the burkini and others of the sort but have never actually seen them or tried them for myself
sth which I need to look into asap lol since I do live on an island in the caribbean :P
thanks for sharing this post with us
I have an Ahiida swimsuit, and I also had one that was more like a track suit from Jelbab.com. The track suit one was totally impractical for actually swimming and the hijab piece was very uncomfortable. The Ahiida (Australian) one is much more comfortable. Be careful to by their more modest model, though, not the 'skinny' one. The material was more swimsuit like and better in the water. But it does not cover the feet, which most scholars say is part of hijab. And even so, I don't recommend it for swimming in the presence of men because like any material, in the water it will sometimes cling to your body. For beach wear when you might walk into the water or in which your body could not bee seen by others in the water, it may be good enough hijab to meet minimum requirements.
But they are very expensive and unless you have access to a women's only pool I don't think it would solve the problem, and if you had a women's only pool you don't need the ahiida anyway unless you just prefer it.
2 Anon: where can I find the blue one that you have? I live in the US
I got one for myself but nt sure where its from... but wearing a proper muslimah swimwear sure feels more comfy when u r ard the pool.
I have one. My mom bought it in Indonesia for MYR50(USD13.89). I KNOW!!CHEAP!! :D
I received saveral curious glances but..hey! who cares! They probably wondering, "I need to get one of those" :P
Assalaamu alaikum,
I bought my swimsuit from Malaysian company in England. Try here http://www.modestswimwear.co.uk
I absolutely love the swimsuit and the prize was much cheaper than those others.
wassalaam Maryam from Finland
You can also find affordable Islamic swimwear at www.splashgearusa.com
A sister in Huntington Beach, CA has designed them.
I've swam in it and it's really nice. It doesn't retain any water to slow you down, and when you come out it doesn't cling to the body.
check it out.
Assalamu Alaikum,
I also have a splashgear suit, and I love it. I used to swim laps in mine. Alas, no time for the gym anymore, but one of these days inshaAllah.
i need one!!!
I bought an Islamic swimsuit recently on a website called http://www.alsharifa.com I really love it. I haven't been swimming in years, but it was nice to get back in the water. It didn't get heavy, as the material is normal swimwear material, and it didn't stick to me getting out of the water. I was surprised at how quick it dries!
Anyhow, they were super cheap compared to some others I've seen, and the quality is awesome.
There is a huge selection of modest swimwear at http://www.ModestSwimshop.com
Some are short and not modest, but they have full body suits as well.
I just came across this blog and found it very interesting indeed.Thanks for sharing.
http://www.modestkini.com/
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