Hairjab | Expression of Hair

Photography by  Loek Blonk

The hijab is a very touchy subject in todays world. With many western countries voting to ban the veil, we are left wondering about the freedom to practice ones religion. But this is not what this article is about. It is about a young artist Sietske Ridders, whom we featured earlier on Ajanaku, and the inspiration she found in both the hijab and expressive hair styles. With this inspiration she created Hairjab.

Sietske explains, “The inspiration for the Hairjab was born on a regular Saturday afternoon while sitting with my aunt in her clothing store, drinking a cup of tea and having a chat. A young lady wearing a veil asked if she could try the dress she had in her hand. Of course she could, we said, and she got into the fittingroom. After a few minutes we saw the girl taking a good look around the shop, from behind the curtain, to make sure there were no gentlemen in the store. After that the curtain opened and, even before we noticed her new dress, a head full of gorgeous shiny brown curls popped out of the fittingroom! Me and my aunt had to look twice to be sure that this curlyhead was the same young lady we saw walking in the fittingroom wearing a veil earlier. I looked at her for minutes with the admiring gaze of a woman looking at another woman. Wow! , I thought, she must stand in front of the mirror in the morning as well, thinking “I should get myself a new haircut soon” or “What a bad hairday this is!”. That moment in my aunt’s shop was a real eyeopener for me as an artist and was the beginning of my personal interest in the hijab and the story of the woman wearing it.”

This piece of art was inspired by her love for beautiful and elegant fabrics and her fascination for the overall expressiveness of hairstyles. She based the design for the Hairjab on the classic hijab (veil) and the name was born out of a bit of both; hair and hijab. Eventhough every individual woman may wear her hijab differently, the wish of being able to cover even neck and forehead were important during the design proces.

All Hairjabs are made of 100% silk and made on demand in Blond, Red, Light Brown and Dark Brown. And on very very special demand even with your own hairstyle.