Bisht
Stephane Rolland created a Spring/Summer collection for 2015 inspired by the bisht, which got international acclaim when it debuted in PFW. The bisht further caught the interest of sartorial connoisseurs when Kanye West strolled the pavements of New York in a bisht inspired winter coat.
The bisht has been part of the Saudi culture since it was brought to the country by Persian vendors. It was originally used by Bedouins during winter but has now evolved as an essential formal wardrobe for special occasions.
And must we say it, the shemagh or keffiyeh has become a hipster staple. Worn as a scarf, it adds an accent to even the most basic of outfits.
Henna
Initial adaptation of henna in the western regions was in its use as a hair dye as early as the 1800’s. It went a lot more mainstream in the US during the 1950s when the then “I Love Lucy” star Lucilly Ball made the “Henna Rinse” a mainstream beauty practice in households. Today, you have Rihanna and Beyoncé pulling off their own version of henna tats. While henna originated from our Asian and far eastern counterparts, it has become embedded in the Khaleeji culture as well.
What’s Next? We thought this deserved a special mention: Shaweesh, the Saudi artist of graffiti fame, wore a cool shalky bomber jacket during the Shubbak Festival 2015 in London. We won’t be surprised if we’ll be seeing a lot of our grandmothers’ jalabiya prints making an appearance in the global scene soon.
Oud
The oud scent may now vary but it has a distinct Arab character to it that is both intense as it is sophisticated. The oud has made such a bold statement in the world of perfumery to the point wherein niche fragrances have been crafted around it.
The scent of oud holds a level of prestige in the Arab peninsula. It was brought to the region by Islamic preachers who discovered its wood form use as incense during their expeditions to the far east.
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