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A graduate from the Delmon Star program at Bahrain Fashion Incubator has designed a smart Abaya. 

What makes this Abaya different from the rest? Lulwa Salem, the designer, protects women wearing the Abaya from intense heat. She uses a special fabric that reduces heat by about ten degrees from the temperature to ensure full comfort and avoid dehydration. 

There’s also a fitness tracker to measure the heart rate and collect daily activity data such as a number of steps and calories burned. Lulwa used reflective fabric to ensure safety walking at night and to avoid accidents. 

Lulwa Salem said: “As a Khaliji woman, I love wearing Abaya all the time and I often feel the need to develop it to suit the region’s hot climate. Abaya can feel uncomfortable for women who like to walk outdoors or women who work in environments that are exposed to sun or heat. I envision extending the application of this idea to serve different individuals in the society of different tastes in fashion including men and children using the same safety features in their garments. My approach in all my designs will always be centered around the use of modern technology in line with the global direction of the fashion industry.”

Lulwa started off her fashion design career 15 years ago, sketching designs of clothing that she could not find elsewhere. She obtained a Diploma in Fashion Design and joined the Delmon Star program last year. Lulwa was inspired by the idea of applying technology to design after attending a Fabric Technology workshop, and worked on developing her ideas with Jalila Aarab, Founder of Bahrain Fashion Incubator. 

Jalila Aarab, said: “We are very proud of Lulwa for creating a unique piece that represents a beginning to a new area in the fashion field. BFI is one of the first organizations in the Middle East and North Africa to provide the right environment and support that encourages fashion startups in using technology. We are working on creating a thriving ecological system for the field of fashion, and we are keen on providing the training and technical support to all promising fashion designers through programs and services that we offer in the incubator.”

Bahrain Fashion Incubator would like to thank all its supporters, especially Tamkeen, which provided a lot of support during the past year, and also much appreciation to the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and the Economic Development Board for their continued support.