10 December 2009

Introduction to Modesty In Vogue

This blog is intended to discuss issues about Modesty and Design, particularly in fashion and architecture in relation to Islam and Islamic culture.

Some people may ask how I can discuss these four things in one blog (modesty, fashion, architecture, and Islam) and that is a reasonable question.

For one, Fashion and Architecture are both intimately related through design. Fashion is the design of clothing to protect the body and Architecture is the design of a structure to shelter and protect space. These two types of design are both used as a basic part of life but are also representative of an idea, culture, personal image, and function.

Secondly, Modesty, or Haya in Islam is a basic part of life in Islamic culture and can be exhibited in many different ways but most notably in behavior and even dress. The hijab is a primary example of how women in Islam represent their modesty. Modesty can also be exhibited through other forms of dress but also architecture. When talking about modesty in architecture, especially in Islamic societies, one can image the traditional courtyard houses of the Arabian Gulf where the walls and exterior facades of buildings are minimal and purely functional while the interior of the buildings are decorated in ornate tile work.

Throughout this blog, I don't always plan on discussing all four things at once in every post, but my main focus is on how we represent our Modesty or Haya in relation to design and our aesthetic world.