Tailors who make the traditional Omani male dresses called 'dishdasha' are in demand as Eid is almost here.
Tailors who were badly affected during the pandemic have all pulled their socks up to make sure every customer is truly taken care of, as said by Kashif Ahmed, a Kashmiri Musar (Omani turban) seller in Seeb Souq.
'Kandura', also known as thawb, thobe or 'dishdasha', is a long ankle-length dress worn by men of the Sultanate of Oman.
Most of the tailors in Seeb Souq, Muttrah Souq and OC Centre in Ruwi are working round-the-clock to meet their deadlines.
These tailors who work on full packages (cloth plus tailor charges) or just tailoring the clothes are facing a diverse set of demands and for them, learning is a constant process in tailoring.
"We are facing different youngsters in our shop daily having different choices and opinions. If one needs the colour to be unique, the other would need terracotta material than the extra light tropical wools suitable for warmer climates. Such are the likes and dislikes of our customers and we learn from them how to satisfy these demands," says Shabbir Ahmed Mia, a tailor cum cloth trader at the OC Centre.
Shabbir Saab, as fondly called by other shoppers in this oldest shopping centre, says the tailors are getting even busier and the proportion has become two dishdashas to be completed by one tailor in a day.
"This is against our routine practice of one 'Kandura' per day during other days and in this scenario, maintaining the quality is a big challenge. Once the quality is substandard, you're out of business forever," he explained.
Strict rule on traditional costumes: Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion has strict rules and regulations in place to encourage the making and usage of traditional 'Kandura' and no alterations without the ministry's permission are allowed and are offence if done otherwise.
Every year the ministry carries out a series of inspections in line with Ministerial Decree No 270/2015, which prohibits alterations to the design of traditional Omani clothing.
Cutting or sewing, printing slogans and trademarks of foreign companies or making drawings contrary to the public interest are not allowed. It will be considered an act of abuse of tradition, according to government standards.
The government has, in a bid to protect the Omani identity and prevent additions being introduced to the national dress, approved 5 designs of Kandura and no deviation from these designs is allowed.
Accordingly, the common dishdasha styles -- Buraimi, Abu Shaq, Suri and Bedouin -- are the five types approved by the ministry.
Acting on Article Three of Ministerial Decision 270/2015, which states that “it is not permitted to import or design traditional Omani attire or compromise or adjust it, which could harm the Omani identity”, the ministry imposed specific standards that dishdasha tailors must follow.
More expats prefer Arab garbs. Call it an exchange of culture or an urge to replicate, the demand among expats for Arab dresses, Omani dishdasha, Qatai and Kuwaiti 'kandura' is on the rise.
Tailors certify that the craze doesn't end with the adults alone but they prefer their children to be clad in these dresses of their hosts and mark their celebrations of Eid.
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