The upcoming student-led Islamic Fashion Show will bring together members of the Hobart and William Smith community and beyond to celebrate an evening of Islamic cultural heritage through authentic clothing and traditional dance.

The fashion show, which will also feature a segment dedicated to Indonesian dance, will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Vandervort Room of the Scandling Campus Center.

Associate Professor and Chair of Religious Studies Etin Anwar, who is advising the students, says that foundational to the fashion show itself is the understanding that Islamic garb is culturally specific, departing from a common Western assumption that a veil is political.

"To highlight the veil as a cultural project, I have chosen a specific fabric, called songket," Anwar says. "Songket is made through a weaving process and is usually embellished with metallic threads. Originally, the aristocrats in Southeast Asia, especially from Indonesia, wore songket for special ceremonies. Nowadays, songket is available in traditional and modern markets in Indonesia."

Anwar says that the songket for the show will be fashioned with a "modern flair." In all, 12 designs ranging from formal and casual garb to party dresses will be presented. All the clothing for the show is made and managed by Modish, a website dedicated to Islamic fashion.

"I have been fortunate to be able to share my passion for songket with HWS students and the community," says Anwar, who adds that she owns a songket dress she made while living in Bali. "We use what we made from the songket as a teaching moment and a collaborative project."