A Bahraini fashion designer has invented a smart abaya to protect its wearers from the dangers of high heat exposure.
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Lulwa Salem has also fitted the smart abaya with a fitness tracker to monitor the physical activity of the women wearing the traditional clothing.
Ms Salem, who graduated last year from the Delmon Star Programme run by Bahrain Fashion Incubator, said the piece of clothing also alerts the wearer to health hazards that may occur during a physical activity such as exercising and hiking.
She used a special fabric designed to reduce heat by around 10C from the external temperature, making wearing the abaya more comfortable while also preventing dehydration.
“As a Khaleeji woman, I love wearing abaya all the time and I often feel the need to develop it to suit the region’s hot climate,” said Ms Salem.
“An abaya can feel uncomfortable for women who like to walk outdoors or women who work in environments that are exposed to the sun or heat.”
She added a fitness tracker in the abaya to track the heart rate of its wearer while also collecting daily activity data such as the number of steps and calories burned.
Reflective fabric was also used in some sections of the abaya to make walking at night safer and avoid potential car accidents, with the fabric specifically chosen for its ability to prevent it from sticking to the body when sweating.
“I envision extending the application of this idea to serve different individuals in the society of different tastes in fashion, including men and children, using the same safety features in their garments,” added Ms Salem.
Antibacterial
“I’m planning to use antibacterial fabric as an environmentally friendly alternative, which is in line not only with the global director in sustainability but also the direction Bahrain has taken in recent years.
“The antibacterial fabric reduces the need to wash the abaya therefore reduces the consumption of water.”
Meanwhile, Bahrain Fashion Incubator (BFI) founder and chief executive Jalila Aarab said work was underway to create a thriving ecological system for the field of fashion.
“We are very proud of Ms Salam for creating a unique piece that represents a beginning to a new area in the fashion field,” said Ms Aarab, who worked with Ms Salem on developing her ideas.
“BFI is one of the first organisations in the Middle East and North Africa to provide the right environment and support that encourages fashion start-ups in using technology.
“We are working on creating a thriving ecological system for the field of fashion and we are keen on providing the training and technical support to all promising fashion designers through programmes and services that we offer in the incubator.”
Ms Salem started her journey in fashion design 15 years ago when she started sketching designs of clothes she could not find in the market.
She then obtained a diploma in fashion design and joined the Delmon Star Programme last year through which she had an integrated experience in fashion design and entrepreneurship.
