First we saw muslim model, Halima Aden walk the runway of the season’s biggest fashion shows in her hijab and without apologies too; now sports brand Nike has taken initiative by designing special hijabs for Muslim women in sports.
To launch in Spring 2018, the Nike high-performance Pro Hijab was inspired by the ongoing cultural shift that has seen more women embracing sport in recent years.
Here are seven things you should know about the latest Nike innovation:
- Nike was inspired to get on to producing the Pro Hijab after it witnessed two runners, Sarah Attar from Saudi Arabia compete in the London Olympics 800-meter race while wearing a hijab, and Amna Al Haddad, an Emerati weightlifter participate in the Rio Olympics last summer.
- The hijab will first be available in three colours: black, grey and obsidian.
- It is made from a sportswear mesh fabric comprised of tiny holes that guarantee optimal breathability.
- Apart from covering the wearer’s head, the Pro-Hijab has an elongated back so that the tops do not become untucked during competition.
- The two features above are borne out of the need to fulfil female Muslim athletes’ need for a lightweight and breathable hijab that would stay in place without concern of shifting.
- The announcement of the product has been met with mixed reactions. Some women do not fancy the idea of wearing Nike’s swoosh logo on their heads.
- The pro-hijab will be available in stores in early 2018 and is part of Nike’s ongoing move to attract Muslim customers from all over the world as some estimates predict that the Islamic market will be worth more than five trillion dollars by 2020.