Saturday, November 1, 2008

On trend? Check


Jihadi chic? Hardly. The keffiyeh scarf is now a fashion staple on the streets of Tel Aviv

Rachel Shabi
guardian.co.uk, Saturday November 01 2008

"Last month I wrote about the first and only Palestinian keffiyeh scarf factory, which is struggling to survive even though this symbol of the Palestinian national struggle went from anti-war accessory to high street fashion item.

I mentioned that, although the black-and-white chequered scarf has gleaned serious fashion stripes, it was slammed in some quarters as being an endorsement of terror. Back then, Israel didn't go for the scarf as fashion item, which I'd assumed was because the keffiyeh's unequivocal political significance was just a bit too close for comfort.....

I think it looks nice, that's why I wear it," says one 23-year-old woman in Tel Aviv who is channelling the scarf much like the American celebrity chef Rachael Ray did for a subsequently banned advert earlier this year. "We learned it was fashionable from Europe," says 18-year-old Kineret, at a central shopping centre, also sporting the keffiyeh as street-trend. Both of these women say they know what the scarf represents and are not wearing it as a political statement.

But why the time delay?......."

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