When she moved to Bahrain nine years ago, Mobeena was fascinated by the beauty and femininity of the abaya. “I started to wear one to the mosque for Friday prayers, and I felt comfortable and liberated in the long, flowing garment,” she says. “As a Muslim woman, I’m on a journey of religious learning and have begun to be more in tune with the spiritual side of the faith that defines me. The Holy Qur’an instructs women to lower an outer garment over their bosoms and, as I felt more conscious of that rule, I realised that an outer garment could be beautiful and colourful, not necessarily plain and black.”
Her belief in the importance of embracing the culture one lives in led the Australian national to design abayas for her mother and herself. “My initial designs were pastel-coloured and we frequently got asked which designer’s work they were, to which I just used to chuckle self consciously. The biggest compliment was when a relative from Khobar requested me to design one for his wife,” says Mobeena.
Seeing her designs worn by ladies on the American naval base and one of Bahrain’s royal family, Mobeena decided to take the leap and formally launch her own label – Mobayas. The name reflects the idea of ‘Mobeena’s modern abayas’ and has recently concluded its first solo exhibition.
Mobeena says: “Putting up an exhibition is a lot of hard work. You cannot fully fathom what something’s all about unless you do it yourself. I now understand why designers charge the prices they do. The whole process of designing, sourcing materials and then putting your ideas into execution is a very taxing activity.”
With a background in tourism and consulting in educational training, Mobeena had never imagined she’d be sketching designs. “I studied entrepreneurship at Harvard Business School and am now putting the theory into practice in running my business,” she says. “I’m a perpetual learner; I can be a student all my life. Launching Mobayas has been a new learning curve and an outlet to my feminine, creative, cultural side.”
She sources most of her fabric from Bahrain and her collection flaunts fine materials such as delicate French chiffon, luscious velvet, raw silk, jute cotton, jersey, crepe, silk organza and cashmere. The pieces bear gorgeous embellishments, embroidery, Arabic calligraphy, lace additions, sequins or contemporary digital prints. “Some Mobayas – as I like to call them – also have cross-cultural influences,” she says, showing off pleats of the Indian saree at the sides of one of her creations.
Coco Chanel’s wisdom, style and elegance inspire Mobeena, and the tag on every Mobaya bears the couturier’s quotes as a keepsake for its buyer.
Mobeena says: “The Mobaya is an evolved, international garment, suitable for the woman on the go. It can immediately transform your look from casual to elegant and ready for an evening out, while keeping the idea of modest dressing intact.”
An intrepid traveller herself, some of Mobeena’s pieces are perfect for the jet-set lady – they look fashionable, can be drip-dried and need no ironing. Some have sleeves layered with different textures or slit sleeves with a fabric underlay to enable the wearer to show off the latest fashion. She has used her creativity to turn a Baluchi shawl into a long jacket – the beauty of the garment remains, sans any cumbersomeness.
Part of the proceeds from the sales from her recent exhibition went to Omneyat, a charity dedicated to supporting individuals with autism. Mobeena, who likes to think of herself as a citizen of the world, aspires to take the Mobaya overseas. “I intend to promote it as Bahraini fashion and for people to discover the classy abaya, which is nothing short of international standards.”
Mobeena’s designs can be viewed on her Instagram @mobayas.
