KHALEEJI ABAYA BRANDS: S'aaf

 S'aaf, Arabic for the date frond/leaf, is an Omani brand I just recently heard about due to the enthusiasm of my co-workers, all mad about the latest S'aaf Collection [which is not here pictured]. The brand is designed and managed by Omani National Ruqaiyah Al Harthy. Like most abaya brands in the GCC, she started small, designing for family and friends until demand grew and she began with a boutique shop in the Al Khoud district of the Omani capital, Muscat. While she began with abaya and shaylas she says she has moved more towards the Omani men's dishdasha, since that is recognizable as distinctively Omani.... Opposed to the abaya, which is intrinsic to the GCC region in general.

While often Ruqaiyah's designs are inspired from Omani textiles and handicrafts and regional abaya trends, sometimes she finds inspiration in her dreams, one of which was the result of the peacock abaya featured pictured above and below.

 The colour turquoise is recognizable to anyone who has ever visited Mutrah Souq in Muscat.

Alot of the fabrics used in S'aaf designs are Omani, such as the delicately embroidered cashemere trimming these abayas sleeves, usually worn by Omani men, wound into turban-like heacoverings that we call "musayr". Some of the embroideries and textiles pictured below, are used in Omani women's traditional regional dress [worn under the abayas or for weddings]:

Depending on the amount of handwork, or materials cost, abayas from S'aaf are priced to start from a range around 30 Omani rials. Please keep in mind, the photos below are a really old collection.

What do you think? I mean, not all are to my taste, some of these looks, being an old collection, are hard to judge, but like the girls from my work, I do like the more casual style trimmed with Omani textiles. The average GCC abaya looks in Oman [at least online] always seem to imitate Dubai looks in a less-than-timely manner, but then, I haven't visited the boutique to see the latest collection... like my friends who have who say they love it.

If you happen to be in Oman are interested in seeing the latest collection which there is alot of buzz about in Muscat but absolutely no pictures of online the address for the store itself is:

COUNTRY: Sultanate Of Oman,

CITY: Muscat

DISCTRICT: Al Khoudh

Al-Ahli Bank Building7th Floor, Flat 74

 The brand's own blog: سعف | S'aaf Oman and facebook page S'aaf.سعف | Facebook.