The great British burkini boom.. and thanks to Nigella, it's not just muslim women buying them
The great British burkini boom ... and thanks to Nigella, it's not just Muslim women buying them
By HELEN NUGENT
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When Nigella Lawson emerged out of the sea on Sydney's Bondi beach dressed in one two years ago, it was greeted with astonishment.
But now burkinis – swimwear originally designed for Islamic women to protect their modesty – are soaring in popularity among British non-Muslims.
Demand is particularly strong among women keen to cover up their curves or protect their skin against the sun.
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Burkinis are soaring in popularity among British non-Muslims
Burkinis are lightweight outfits made of Lycra and nylon that leave only the hands, feet and face showing. They were originally imported from Turkey and Morocco, but now London-based companies Modestly Active and Modestkini, which have been selling the swimsuits since 2007, are cashing in on the boom.
Ismail Sacranie, sales and marketing director at Modestly Active, said: 'The first few years were a hard struggle but, over the past two years sales have grown between 300 and 400 per cent.'
Modestly Active and Modestkini say between 15 and 20 per cent of their clients are non-Muslim.
Before the suits became available, women had to find other ways of covering up. Kausar Sacranie, chief executive of Modestly Active who designed Nigella's burkini, says that years of family holidays spent wearing clingy leggings and T-shirts in the water prompted her to design an alternative.
She said: 'I wanted something different but I didn't want to look like a Teletubby on the beach.
TV chef Nigella Lawson playing in the surf on Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia in a full body burkini style swimming outfit
'I wanted something I was comfortable in and that made me look good. Later, I went on holiday to Dubai and I was swamped with people asking me where I got it.'
She says Nigella's endorsement of the burkini on Bondi in April 2011 was a turning point for her firm.
'After Nigella wore my swimsuit, people became more comfortable with the idea. And a lot of people who are not Muslims wanted something without a hood.'
Umran Ashman, director of Modestkini, said: 'People come to us for a variety of reasons.
'Some are allergic to the sun or are worried about cancer, others are overweight or have lost a lot of weight so their skin is sagging.'
Modestly Active has recently begun marketing triple XL suits, the equivalent of a size 24-26. British women are also buying burkinis from overseas. Californian firm Splashgear says that after the US, the UK and Canada are its two largest markets for burkinis.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276313/The-great-British-burkini-boom---thanks-Nigella-just-Muslim-women-buying-them.html#ixzz2KcVdig5q
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I imagine it wears much like a wetsuit, which I find extremely uncomfortable and suffocating. It's not for me.
Quoting wickedfiress:I imagine it wears much like a wetsuit, which I find extremely uncomfortable and suffocating. It's not for me.
I think the fit is looser than a wetsuit. I dont know, havent wore one before. lol
Quoting muslimahpj:
Quoting wickedfiress:I imagine it wears much like a wetsuit, which I find extremely uncomfortable and suffocating. It's not for me.
I think the fit is looser than a wetsuit. I dont know, havent wore one before. lol
It's not so much the fit, but the feeling of the wet fabric on every inch of my skin, that bothers me.
It's amazing how people don't hold themselves to the standards they set for others.
And I burn in the sun after 3 seconds so I can understand wanting to wear one
I just showed it to my daughter, we both like it. Neither of us are big fans of showing skin at the pool. We are fairly modest. Besides, with my dad's skin cancer, it seems like the perfect solution to our desire to enjoy water and stay out of the sun AND keep covered. I love it!
This reminds me of an observation one of my kids made a long time ago, about the chubby girls wearing t-shirts over their bathing suits:
Wow, that makes their rolls REALLY stand out.
(nothing modest about this look.)
Does the Polygamous Community Deserve Food Stamps?
- muslimahpj
on Feb. 10, 2013 at 3:23 PM