Layan Damanhouri
Saudi Gazette
How did a cultural icon turn into modern attire with endless options? Years ago, anyone in the Gulf would see men of all ages only wearing the known traditional thobe, a long white dress with either a matching white headdress or a red shima’gh.
Now the habitual scene has changed completely. The man of today spends more time in front of the closet choosing from the endless options available to dress for occasions.
With a recently booming market in traditional wear for men, the thobe now features different colors, designs and complementary accessories.
Fresh designs have modernized the image of the typical thobe, splashing the mainstream market with originality and creativity.
Recently In Ramadan
The holy month of Ramadan is a spiritual time for Muslims around the world. For Saudis, this means quality time with family at gatherings and reunions.
This also means going to Taraweeh prayers every day. Lomar’s Taraweeh model propositioned more casual and comfort to the daily outings in the holy month yet add a subtle design, using a zipper and a low soft collar. To complete the spiritual theme, the brand’s new accessory is a 2-in-1 bracelets and sobha (prayer beads).
For Toby by Hatem Alakeel, the newest collection depicts the gentleman’s lifestyle with an elegantly distinctive look. Using contemporary elements, Toby’s designer brand radiates luxury while maintaining simplicity and comfort.
Toby’s subtle touches offer the sophisticated gentleman his classy appearance. To achieve a novel look while maintaining the traditional Arabian form, this luxury brand offers numerous options for the collar and different contrast of color.
Established eight years ago in Saudi Arabia, Sindi Thobes has been repeatedly named as one of the leading companies in the Middle East in recent years, presenting innovative concepts to contemporary fashion.
Its latest introduction is rubber, a brand new idea in the market. The rubber buttons on the thobes come in yellow, blue, and grey, creating a sharp contrast with the colors of the thobes.
New Eid Collections
Lomar, a leading brand in the modern thobe since 2005, offers men of all ages options for a unique festive look. Lomar launched its signature Eid models with an update, namely two formal outfits the “Mashhad” and the “Kashkha.”
The bisht is a traditional cloak worn by Arabian men over their thobes. It is a soft wool material with gold or silver embroidery on the trim.
Traditionally it comes in black, brown or beige. In the Arabian Gulf, royal princes and kings wear the bisht as their formal attire.
In addition, public figures and high-ranking individuals also wear it by tradition. In some cultures such as Iraq or East Africa, it is only worn by tribal chiefs.
Saudis, however, wear it in formal occasions such as at weddings, festivals and ceremonies. Sindi Thobes launched this year’s newest model for the Eid prayer, associating it with the bisht.
The newest model in the market is simply a waist-length vest with a bisht fabric, giving an impression of a shawl placed on the shoulders.
This transforms the traditional bisht to a whole new level. Another formal dress is the daglah, a long dark cloak worn over the thobe.
It originated from the Arabian Peninsula and is traditionally worn during the winter. The daglah, which only comes in dark colors, has been reintroduced in the Saudi market to be worn at special occasions.
Toby offers the newest daglah, a mélange between the traditional daglah and the Western trench coat.
Young Fashionistas
For kids, many brands turn to jeans and bright colors. Sab Thobes has produced colorful and comfy little thobes for youngsters with pop art designs as well as cartoon prints.
The zipper is a favorite for children. Many brands offer a formal look for kids. Lomar’s “Eidiya” this year is an ensemble designed with a gold-trimmed vest. Sindi’s mashhad bisht-trimmed vest is also available for boys.
To match the high demand in the Gulf region, the thobe brands advertise their newest models via social media and websites.
Brands on Instagram include
@tobyhatemalakeel,
@Lomarthobe,
@sindithobe.
Websites include
www.tobybyhatem.com,
www.lomar.com.sa,
www.sindithobe.com, and
www.sabthobe.com.
