Spending a lot of time round hotel swimming pools I noticed Muslim women were not comfortable with going into the water
because they didn’t have suitable swimwear. Some wore dark-coloured burkinis, quite the opposite of their kurtas
or other daytime clothes, which were sophisticated and full of vibrant colour.
I told myself: “There are so many styles and interesting prints on bikinis but nothing similar when we look at burkinis.”
For this reason I decided to start my project with a swimwear collection. I began buying samples and looking for new print ideas
in local markets. I also thought up new designs to blend with traditional taste.
My focus was clear: I wanted to celebrate women whose traditions required them to cover up more than those in Western countries.
I wanted to give them the opportunity to enjoy swimming, and playing with their children on the beach, while still being on trend,
elegant, feminine, comfortable and, above all, modest.
I consider it an honour as well as a challenge to prove modest swimwear need not be dull.
And I also hope to be able to blend Italian taste with the modest market needs.
The project came into being just a few months later when I found out I was pregnant with my daughter.
At the time I said: “Now or never, this is what I really want to do.” So I booked the show for eight months later
and I started to work on it full time.
It was very hard work, but I in the end I was able to do everything I needed to do on time!!