Valentino's couture collection for Spring 2009 had many hints of Islamic style to it. First off, I love the knee length embellished coat which would look perfect over wide leg trousers or a satin skirt. Next comes a gorgeous full length brown dress, complete with flowing sleeves for an almost-abaya look. And what I loved the most were the floor-length coats over evening gowns. A little tweaking and they'd be perfect for hijab! This is a style that is quite popular in the Middle East, as shown by designers such as
Awatif Al Hai - and looks like they've now inspired mainstream fashion:
