The Aesthetic Qualities of Fabric

It is interesting to look at the many types of fabrics that are now available for designers to manipulate and play with in order to create interesting new designs.

Here are a few pictures of fabrics and their interesting and unique qualities they might embody. I removed any color from the photos as to avoid an emotional response to color as opposed to the more basic form of the cloth.

The reason I think this is important to this blog is due to the fact that fabric itself can express so many things and allow such a variety of manipulation. Do we really need extra ornamentation added to our clothing in order to stand out. The pure beauty of fabric should not go unnoticed. It is can be modest yet so intriguing.











The sequins connected by a thing string allows for a certain degree of transparency and layering.

















The gauze-like quality gives more structure to the crinkling fabric. There is still a level of transparency allowing on to play with the different levels of light or fabrics when layered.














This fabric is obviously thick enough for pleating. The tension of the pulling on the fabric is more apparent and makes us want to see what
is causing that stress (conceptually).
















The lace is so feminine and so light.

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.