THOBES from the Lomar brand owned by designer Loai Naseem and Today thobes by Hatem Al-Aqeel have redefined the traditional Saudi dress code. Lomar and Hatem Al-Aqeel organized thobe shows in Dubai as part of the Dubai Fashion Week (DFW) last October. Recently, Lomar arranged a similar show at the ground hall of the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah. The main theme of the show was “Do You Dare to Go Black?” and hundreds of male and female spectators and fashion fans flocked to the venue to watch the show and interact with designer Loai Naseem. “My latest collection is inspired by the idea of taking something very simple, the black color, and turning it into extraordinary works of art and fashion designs,” Loai explained to the Gazette. He stressed that youngsters should be encouraged to wear thobes and not relinquished to the influence of foreign cultures. “Some young Saudis think that thobes conceal their bodies, as many of them are of slack and baggy cut. However, by choosing the right textile, they can have thobes that suit their body-type. For example, an overweight man should go for fabrics that accentuate his positive aspects and hide the flaws. Similarly, we have the T-shirt thobe which goes with slim bodies. We design thobes to suit every personality and taste,” Loai said. __
