A Proud Moment: Our Floral Abaya Featured at London's Renowned Almeida Theatre

We are delighted to share an exciting milestone for our brand. One of our signature abayas was recently featured in the critically acclaimed production Under the Shadow at the prestigious Almeida Theatre in London.

As a small business owner who handmade each abaya, seeing one of my creations featured in such a respected theatre production was incredibly rewarding. It is especially meaningful to see modest fashion becoming more visible within the arts, helping to promote inclusion, diversity, and authentic cultural representation

About the Almeida Theatre

Located in Islington, London, the Almeida Theatre is one of the UK's most respected and innovative producing theatres. Known for its world-class productions, groundbreaking storytelling, and commitment to diverse voices, the theatre has launched and hosted many award-winning productions that have gone on to national and international success. It has built a reputation for championing powerful stories that reflect contemporary society and global cultures.

About Under the Shadow

Under the Shadow is a stage adaptation of the BAFTA-winning Iranian horror film by director Babak Anvari. Adapted for the stage by Carmen Nasr and directed by Nadia Latif, the story is set in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s. It follows Shideh, a mother left to care for her young daughter while her husband is called to the front line. As missiles fall across the city, a mysterious and sinister presence appears to haunt their home, blurring the lines between psychological trauma, war, and the supernatural.

The production has been praised for its emotional depth, powerful performances, and its exploration of themes including resilience, motherhood, fear, displacement, and survival.

Our Abaya on Stage

We were honoured to see one of the actresses wearing our Green Floral Abaya during the production. Seeing our design become part of a story that reflects Middle Eastern culture and lived experiences was incredibly rewarding.

Costume design plays an important role in theatre, helping to create authentic characters and believable worlds. The inclusion of modest fashion pieces such as abayas helps ensure that stories from diverse communities are represented with greater accuracy and respect.

Why Representation Matters

The growing presence of modest fashion in major theatre productions is an encouraging step towards greater inclusion and diversity within the arts.

For many Muslim women and women who choose modest dress, seeing abayas represented on respected stages helps:

• Promote cultural understanding and authenticity.
• Reflect the diversity of modern society.
• Challenge outdated stereotypes surrounding modest fashion.
• Create visibility for Muslim and modest-dressing communities.
• Celebrate fashion as a form of identity, creativity, and self-expression.

Theatre has the power to bring different cultures and experiences to wider audiences. When productions thoughtfully incorporate modest fashion, they help create a richer and more inclusive representation of the world we live in.

Photography by Marc Brenner

The beautiful production photography for Under the Shadow was captured by renowned theatre photographer Marc Brenner, whose work perfectly conveys the atmosphere, emotion, and visual storytelling of the production. His images have helped showcase the remarkable performances and production design to audiences across the UK and beyond.

Looking Ahead

We are incredibly proud that our abaya was featured in such an important production at the Almeida Theatre. Moments like these demonstrate how modest fashion is increasingly being recognised across creative industries, from theatre and film to television and contemporary arts.

As designers, our goal has always been to create pieces that combine elegance, individuality, and cultural identity. Seeing our work represented on one of London's most respected stages reinforces the importance of inclusive storytelling and the positive impact that fashion can have in bringing cultures together.

We would like to thank the production team and everyone involved for celebrating diversity through thoughtful costume choices and authentic representation.