Muslim men like me often face hostility, however fashion magazines have the power to change that

As Muslims try to observe religious commitments in the course of Ramadan, the fasting month is also a time to reconnect with heritage and culture via the art of modest dressing.

Adult men typically decide for a conventional thobe as opposed to their jeans and shirts when they go to the mosque and other gatherings. The thobe, a standard garment, is a dressing norm in certain areas across the Center East, Africa and Asia.

Nevertheless, picking out to go away the dwelling donning just one in a western context can be a loaded conclusion, sparking spouse and children problems for your security.

In 2003, when I was just eight years aged, my possess household immigrated from Mauritius to the then predominantly white region of Bournemouth, England. I was the darkest pupil at college, and I’ll in no way fail to remember my to start with day. Pupils stopped to stare at my complexion and questioned what was “wrong” with it. They also questioned about my clothing possibilities, calling my kufi, a cap some Muslim adult men don when praying “an unappealing hat”.

So, GQ Middle East’s modern “Renaissance” issue, wherever male types are adorned in thobes is refreshing to see. Alongside the conventional gown, guys are decked out with luxury apparel from Balenciaga trainers to Louis Vuitton jackets. The edition was shot by Moroccan-Belgian surrealist art photographer Mous Lamrabat, who is renowned for complicated perceptions of marginalised groups.

For just one picture, he stacked the “ugly hat” I was when mocked for close to the head of Sudanese model Ahmed Shareef as while our heritage shields us from the severe realities of the exterior earth.

Ahmad Swaid, the magazine’s new editor-in-chief is British-born and has Lebanese and Sierra Leonean heritage. “For me, the thobe is all about liberty of expression in one’s very own religious reality, which is a extremely gorgeous issue,” Swaid clarifies.

In distinct cultural contexts, the garment may be known as gandoura, jalabiya, kanzu or jubbah but the silhouette remains the similar and is worn by a great number of gentlemen and gals, normally no matter of their faith.

But for marginalised teams on the fringes of western modern society, deciding upon the type can occur with baggage.

There is undeniable hostility towards Muslim males like me. Even though I when dismissed the racist ordeals I faced developing up to childhood naivety, the Islamophobia and racism I confronted received a great deal worse as I entered my teenagers. I was spat on, crushed and identified as racial slurs from P*ki to terrorist. One particular pupil ripped the pocket off my school uniform shirt in circumstance I was “hiding a bomb”.

Faced with an ecosystem that frequently reminded me it could under no circumstances truly be mine I turned a lot more identified to just take possession of my heritage.

Shifting to multicultural London 10 several years ago was a serious instant for me. While the snide seems to be and muttered responses didn’t go absent, I felt somewhat recognized as I was all-around a multitude of folks from all walks of lifestyle. My thobe peacefully intertwined with my id.

GQ Center East’s British manner editor Keanoush Zargham is of Iranian-Brazilian descent and grew up on Edgware Road in the metropolis. “I was accustomed to observing my good friends donning their thobes with Adidas hoodies or Nike Air Max, which affected the styling of this shoot to bridge East and West.

“Fashion can be a resource to break down stereotypes of the Muslim narrative introduced in the media. Issues have improved considering the fact that I was very little but there is nevertheless so substantially function left to do.”

Muslim women, who also deal with discrimination due to their clothes choices, have lastly started out observing representation in luxury fashion publications. In 2021, Malala graced the address of British Vogue. In 2019, Halima Aden, Ikram Abdi Omar, and Amina Adan starred in the initially team hijabi cover for Vogue Arabia.

And though this need to go on, Muslim men’s conventional apparel hardly ever characteristics in fashion magazines, which can influence how at ease we are with wearing our thobes out in community.

When our standard dress does go “mainstream” it can truly feel like we are not authorized to be element of that. It is obvious to me that men’s hipster society is encouraged by the male “hijab” of cuffed trousers, limited beanie caps and overly extended loose shirts, nevertheless this is not commonly recognised.

This erasure helps make the GQ include all the far more essential, since we are at the forefront, celebrating a garment that unites so numerous of our cultures.

Star model of GQ’s include Hamad AlAnazy, who is of Saudi-Omani heritage and was raised in the UAE, mentioned the thobe “feels like home” wherever he is in the globe. “I truly feel unimaginable honour in putting on mine,” he discussed. Design Faysal Dzaïr recollects the “natural sense of ease” he had when putting on the “perfectly fitting” thobe as a kid in Algeria. “A sense of empowerment comes from delight in id and heritage,” he tells me. Abanoub Ramsis, who is Christian, grew up all-around family associates putting on the “symbol that built [his] character”. The Egyptian director-cinematographer stated: “It represents my roots.”

Mustafa the Poet’s the latest aspect in Dazed journal is a further a significant move in creating absolutely sure Muslim men are not excluded from the manner field. However, there is even now some way to go.

Ahmad Swaid, beforehand head of material at Dazed, spelled out: “The feeling of accountability that I really feel as an Arab, West African and Muslim editor-in-main is to depict our communities in the region and overseas in the very best light-weight probable to the globe, not just the West.

“Collaboration is critical [but] validation of perceptions is unneeded.”

Our assorted ancestry is connected by way of this a single masking, which Muslim guys have extended celebrated with a feeling of delight and self-acceptance. Though placing thobes in journals can be impactful – we do not have to have to make our heritage palatable to western audiences.

Az Munrallee is a London-dependent reporter and journalist, specialising in social injustice, politics, culture, trend and life-style. He is also a media coordinator in the United Nations Association (UNA Uk) for North and East Africa