Talk about a niche market -designing your sizing to fit a targeted consumer- Al Quds Jeans is a company selling prayer jeans for Muslims (last week we had patented prayer rugs, this week it’s prayer jeans). From Leonie’s blog:
This must be a contender for the most bizarre fashion launch of 2006: a new jeans line that helps Muslims to stay comfortable while they pray. No, it’s not an early April Fool’s joke but a perfectly serious range with a high waist, wide legs to enable the wearer to bend down repeatedly during prayers, and lots of pockets for holding all the accessories Muslims have to take off while they worship such as watches, bracelets and glasses. For good measure the jeans even have green seams – green being the sacred colour of Islam – and are made by Muslim hands at a plant in Pakistan. According to the Italian company that designed the Al Quds jeans, a year of research and testing went into the product. Models even tried different versions of the jeans while they prayed.
This is a perfect example of targeting a profile consumer and designing the fit of the garment to specific needs. I don’t know how successful they’ll be but it’s a start. How many of you are so well defined?
The fashion curmudgeon wonders if they’ll add a junior/misses line for all those virgins.
Genus! Pure Genius!! I applaud them!!
wondering if you’ve seen the Australian designed “Burkini” a full cover swimsuit for Muslim women. An excellent example of consumer targeted garment design.
http://www.ahiida.com/index.php?a=subcats&cat=20
As a Muslim, I’d like to note that the virgin thing is a common non-Muslim misconception about Islam. It’s a slightly sensitive point as it’s often repeated by non-Muslims in a rather condescending tone, as code, one feels, for “those crazy Muslims!”. Haven’t tried the Quds line myself, but I’ve liked the jeans from Shukr for their higher waist and looser cut. Unfortunately I’ve stopped buying from them as I’ve found their sizing to be inconsistent and unpredictable and I can’t be bothered to return things that don’t fit.
Also, is there really something “bizarre” about a line of jeans that makes it easier and more comfortable for 1.2 billion people to do something they do five times a day, 365 days a year?