Bismillahirahmanirrahim
A very pleasant evening to all of you.
First and foremost, as Patron of the Islamic Fashion Festival (IFF), I wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the Sovereign Prince of Monaco, His Highness, Prince Albert II; for accepting our invitation to grace the IFF Gala Dinner and Fashion Show this evening.
2. I would also like to extend my special thanks to the Prime Minister of Qatar, His Excellency Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabr Al-Thani and Her Excellency Sheikha Noora Bint Abdul Aziz Bin Al Hubaien for their gracious presence. I am also profoundly grateful, to His Excellency Dato' Seri Mohd Najib Bin Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia, for being kind enough to shorten his vacation to be here with us this evening.
3. Let me also welcome each and every one of you for being here to celebrate the "Gala Dinner and Fashion Show". This event will definitely have a lasting memory for the IFF and the designers who are equally excited and privileged to showcase their works tonight.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
4. The IFF main mission is to capitalise on fashion as a platform to bring together designers and fashion enthusiasts of different cultures, religious backgrounds and race. It is also aimed at making Muslims to accept Islamic wear with a varied choice of styles.
5. This Malaysian-inspired festival has made the journey of a thousand miles here to Monaco. As Patron of the IFF, I am most honoured and privileged to be here in Monaco, an international capital of luxury fashion that has inspired the creations of many fashion designers around the world.
6. I believe the IFF has selected the right venue to showcase the Muslim fashion ensemble and we certainly hope that Monaco can help be the gateway to the European market for Islamic inspired fashion from Malaysia.
7. I am indeed very proud that IFF has come this far to promote the Islamic couture and amazingly it has garnered huge response from designers from varied cultural background and religion, all with a common goal to take the Islamic fashion business to a higher level.
8. Speaking of IFF, since its humble initiation back in 2006, its growth has been in leaps and bounds and within a short span of five years the IFF has already spread its wings to Jakarta, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and New York, featuring works of more than 200 designers. Through these efforts IFF has provided opportunities for budding and established middle east-inspired fashion designers from different cultures, religions and nationalities to come together and making their mark in Islamic fashion circle. Undoubtedly, it is now shaping up to be a huge success judging from support and participation it has received thus far.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
9. Muslim's population comprises one of the fastest growing consumer markets in the world, hence represent a major growth opportunity for businesses around the world including fashion. According to the prestigious Dubai French Fashion University Esmod, over half of the world's 1.6 billion Muslim populations are spending more than USD 120 or more a year on fashion and accessories. As a result, Islamic fashion is fast becoming a lucrative business. It was also reported that the current market for Islamic-inspired fashion has been estimated to be worth more than 96 billion US dollars a year. There is thus a huge market potential for Islamic apparels.
10. It is interesting to note that amidst the flurry of eye-catching Western fashion designs and glossy high-street trends, Muslim women have become increasingly eager to wear trendy yet modest clothing. This recent interest in Muslim fashion signals the changing dynamics of the ever increasing interaction among Eastern and Western cultures. Nowadays, Muslim women can choose from a broad selection of designs to create a look that matches their values, traditions and tastes, without compromising any of the three.
11. In addition, as more educated Muslim men and women develop businesses and take up professions, they begin to adopt modernism with a touch of Islamic twist to match their contemporary lifestyles.
12. Contrary to the common belief that fashion and Islam are incongruous; I would like to reiterate that Islamic clothing, especially for women can still be fashionable, contemporary and stylish whilst fulfilling Islamic requirement for conservative core and modesty.
13. In reality, there are many Muslim fashion designers who get their inspiration from the high fashion world and give it a hijab-friendly twist, successfully blending the two. Their ensembles, nevertheless, still capture the true grace and beauty of a woman without turning her into an object of desire.
14. In fact, in affirming the coming-of-age of Muslim fashion through the impressive collections; Islamic fashion is now considered as the breath of fresh air in a global culture where the flesh can often eclipse the fabric on the runaway.
15. It is thus not surprising that, major clothing retailers are also busy highlighting how their top name fashions like Anne Klein and Ralph Lauren are already meeting the Islamic requirement of full coverage. And interestingly, even as the great veil debate raged in France, the country remains as the major exporter for Muslim's couture abayas and niqabs.
16. Although it is considered a rare phenomenon, Muslim countries like Iran are also hosting fashion weeks, albeit with more traditional styles. Whilst the International Festival of African Fashion has attracted a number of European celebrated designers namely Yves Saint Laurent and Jean-Paul Gaultier, hoping to appeal to the vast Muslim women's market.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
17. As Patron, it is indeed heartening to acknowledge the fact that IFF has been commended for taking that first step to start the ball rolling on the Islamic Fashion. I believe the IFF is poised to play a significant role in filling the current gap in the market for products that comply with the Islamic requirements. It is now the showcase for designers to exhibit collections specifically for the Islamic market.
18. There is a niche in which Malaysia can lead as far as the Islamic fashion is concern. This is because; Malaysia is in a unique position to lead this global awakening to Islamic fashion. We boast the location; the tradition; and the gifted designers who are able to infuse traditional styles with a modern sensibility. Furthermore, Malaysia is already a recognised model for the Muslim world, including a well-known Halal hub for various industries' products.
19. It is my hope that IFF will continue to provide the much needed platform to help launch our local Muslim-inspired fashion designers so that they are able to competitively market their ensemble with the rest of the world renowned fashion houses and haute couture designers.
20. In conclusion, let me once again express my sincere appreciation to His Highness Prince Albert II and the Monegasque people; who have shown their support by being here this evening for the IFF showcase. My thanks also goes to all the dignitaries and friends who came all the way from Malaysia to be part of the occasion.
21. I would also like to thank the sponsors, Tourism Board of Sarawak and everyone who have worked hard and contributed to the success of the IFF showcase. Not forgetting, the founder of IFF for their initiatives and the wonderful and talented designers who are slowly but surely making waves and impact in the Muslim fashion world.
22. Lastly, I hope everyone will enjoy the rest of the evening as we sit back and be inspired by the varied interpretations of Muslim fashion by the designers.
Thank you.
**
Dari sisi pandangan penulis:
Aku melihat niat Rosmah itu murni, nak menaikkan Busana Muslim @ Fesyen Islam yang terkini ke peringkat yang lebih tinggi di samping menjadikannya suatu bahan komersial yang menguntungkan untuk memajukan ekonomi.
Namun, aku kira, Datin Seri tidak meneliti sedalam-dalamnya tentang garis panduan yang mengikut Syara'.
Inilah yang terjadi tatkala mencorak Hukum yang telah Allah tetapkan dengan HAWA NAFSU.
Kaligrafi "Muhammad" yang ada pada busana muslimah tersebut seolah-olah meng'halal'kan pemakaian sebegitu dalam Islam. Seolah-olahnya kalimah tersebut boleh dipakai buang dan diletak di mana-mana. Ini memang betul-betul menghina Nabi!
Aku menyeru Datin Seri Rosmah selaku penaung meminta maaf kepada Umat Islam DUNIA.
Sesungguhnya masih belum terlambat untuk MENUNTUT ILMU lebih-lebih lagi dalam HAL-HAL AGAMA.
Tanyalah pandangan Ulama-ulama yang Muktabar.
^_^ => bila MUSLIMAT PUSAT nak menganjurkan ISLAMIC FASHION FESTIVAL yang sebenar-benarnya mengikut syara' ni???
