Designer points apology after outcry over ‘Allah’ textual content on gown throughout Melbourne Fashion Festival

Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festival (MFF) just lately got here below hearth for the show of spiritual texts on the clothes on the occasion, on Saturday, March 11. MFF was criticized over a gown by the label ‘Not a Man’s Dream’ with the Arabic phrase, ‘Allah walks with me’ emblazoned on it.

MFF and the designer Samantha Saint James who can also be the founding father of ‘Not a Man’s Dream’, issued an apology, on Sunday, for the incident. “The festival did not intend to disrespect anyone and we apologise for any offence caused,” it learn.

MFF issued a proper assertion in response to the controversy.

James conveyed, “I apologize for any offense or disrespect caused by certain pieces I showed in Saturday evening’s MFF runway. I have come to understand how some garments have caused offense. It was the opposite of my intentions and for that, I’m truly sorry.”

The apology has since been deleted, with solely screenshots of the Instagram story being shared on-line. The label’s Instagram web page has since been made non-public following the outcry.

At least two designs on the Melbourne occasion on the weekend featured the script in Arabic saying, ‘Allah walks with me,’ infuriating many. The competition has eliminated all designs from the label from its social channels whereas it investigated complaints concerning the designs.

In addition to publishing a submit denouncing the incidence, Eritrean-Australian Instagram mannequin, Mona Khalifa, additionally put out a video, saying, “There is a fine line between art and disrespect and this falls way, way over disrespect.” She remarked, including that there isn’t any justification for anybody so as to add the title of Allah or different Islamic symbols to one thing like this. “It is transparent fabric,” she added.

“I could not contain my anger. I could not put this off any further. There is no reason for anyone to put the word ‘Allah’ or anything Islamic on something like this. My blood is boiling,” the mannequin complained.

“To use religious texts or write Allah (God) in Arabic which is sacred to both Muslims and Arab Christians and also to have it styled in such a nude and immodest manner is wrong on so many levels. The pieces also had the models’ heads covered, which feels like a direct dig at hijab & Muslim women,” she said in her submit.

The design was inappropriate, in keeping with Tarik Junaid Asmat, one other mannequin who was current on the present on Saturday evening. “It is no secret that I grew up lovingly Muslims, so I have zero shame in sharing this, designers do better,” he wrote on his Instagram story. “To my Muslim brothers and sisters who witnessed this, I have you in my prayers. I’m not going to say anything else about this,” he mentioned additional.

Bilal Rauf, a spokesman for the Australian National Imams Council, referred to as the apparel offensive and pointed out that individuals of all faiths use the phrase Allah. “The use of certain words and symbols which carry a religious significance ought to be used with respect,” he commented.

“Sadly, there is an increasing incidence of sacred symbols and words being flippantly used. Allah, which means God in Arabic, is used by Arab-speaking Christians and Muslims around the world. It is unfitting for such a word to be used with discourtesy and disrespect as seemed to occur at the Melbourne Fashion Festival,” he voiced his displeasure.

The controversy comes after Channel 10’s flagship program, The Project, confronted backlash over a joke about Jesus made dwell on air by a visitor. Queer comic Reuben Kaye, who was a visitor on the present, made an ‘offensive’ joke about Jesus Christ. Co-hosts Waleed Aly and Sarah Harris issued an on-air apology a day later following criticism by the group.