Europe: Sharia-Compliant Fashion Goes Mainstream

by Soeren Kern • April 13, 2016 at 5:00 am

Critics argue that by jumping on the Muslim fashion bandwagon, European brands are encouraging the visible public expression of Islam in Europe -- and promoting Muslim separateness rather than integration.
"When fashion brands praise the skinny image with anorexic models, we say this is dangerous for the health of young women. We can also say that those same brands, when they promote Islamic collections, they promote an image that is dangerous for the rights and freedom of Muslim women in France. ... in many French neighborhoods, we see fewer and fewer women outside on the street, in cafes. We see that fewer and fewer women are living freely in their neighborhoods." — Laurence Rossignol, France's Minister Families, Children and Women's Rights.
French feminist Elisabeth Badinter warned that cultural relativism was preventing the French from seeing the alarming rise of Islamism in France. She added that tolerance "has turned against those it was meant to help" with the result that "the veil has spread among the daughters of our neighborhoods" due to "mounting Islamic pressure."

Left: Marks & Spencer's Paisley Print Burkini. Right: An outfit from the Dolce & Gabbana Abaya and Hijab Collection

The decision by a British department store to include Sharia-compliant bathing suits in its summer swimwear collection has ignited a debate over the "mainstreaming" of Islamic fashion in Europe.

Marks & Spencer (M&S), the iconic British retail chain, is now marketing the burkini, a full-length swimsuit ostensibly designed to protect the modesty of Muslim women.

Supporters of the move say it "liberates" Muslim women in Europe by giving them the choice to wear whatever they want. Detractors argue the exact opposite: they say the burkini "enslaves" Muslim women, many of whom are facing mounting pressure to submit to Islamic dress codes, even though they are citizens of secular European states.