Wael Al-Khalid Okaz/Saudi Gazette From the beginning, Omaima Azooz realized the need to provide women in Saudi society with a la mode dresses they can wear at social functions. But since fashionable clothes imported from European markets were not modest enough for Saudi women, Azooz decided to be the fashion designer who could offer Saudi women fashionable designs that conform to the Shariah and local traditions. “The thing that makes me stand out from my rivals is my meticulous care in choosing exquisite and unfamiliar fabrics for my designs. I make sure all colors are creatively consistent with each other,” said Azooz. “It's very important for a designer to have talent and a creative as well as innovative mind. Once a talented designer gets experience in her field, she excels and reaches the top of her profession,” she added. Azooz's designs have increasingly been in demand outside the Gulf and Arab world. Her clothes, specifically designed according to the Shariah needs, are creating waves in the global fashion markets One of her lines features long black and short dresses Saudi and Arab women love to wear when they travel abroad to Europe or America. Her other designs include traditional dresses that are commonly worn in different regions of the Kingdom. The dresses are designed with some European style touches to give the feel of modernity and grandeur. “Women love to wear dresses that have a mix of traditional and European styles. They make them feel stylish,” she said. Azooz is meticulous about the details of her designs and she makes sure the things she learned from her courses in Islamic art, manifest in these designs. In her opinion, any designer who wants to follow her path should be well aware of Arab traditions and tastes when it comes to clothes. “It is important that fashion design is incorporated into school curricula and taught to students,” she said. In fact, she is trying to do just that now. Azooz recently submitted a study to the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry recommending setting up a private fashion design academy. The academy's goal is to take exquisite Arab designs to the world. Today, even in conservative circles, designer clothes have become acceptable, with many women even showing interest in becoming fashion designers. “There's no harm in this as long as a designer conforms to the Shariah and traditions and presents clients with modest products,” she said. Azooz's designs will be on display this month, throughout April during the international festival that will be held in Dubai.
