Picture this: a massive reception is taking place at a sheikh's majlis, with people from around the world paying their respects on the happy occasion of a marriage in the household.
A delegation from India enters, men and women dressed in magnificently tailored national clothes of colourful fabrics that flow elegantly and hide all the flaws.
It is no wonder that at weddings across the region, Arab women often choose to wear an Indian-style dress, whether saris, salwar kameez or churidars. Many even know the different styles. But ask them about Arab traditional dresses and accessories, or about the different designs and embroidery, and many Arabs may draw a blank.
Watching delegations come in, you would look into their cultures through their clothes, and feel a sense of identity and pride inherent in garments and foot wear that have stories and a history behind them.
More often it is women who wear national dress, while men often opt to wear western-style suits.
Arab groups came in with both men and women in modern western-style clothes.
When I whispered this to my friend from Syria, she replied: "Because if they showed up in their traditional clothes, people would think they were a dancing troupe."
This may be one of the issues at the heart of our identity crisis, although most would argue we have bigger problems to worry about first, such as basic human rights. But this one is easier to address.
Traditional Arab dress should not just be worn by waiters and dancers, but by the ordinary Arab whose pride has been crushed for too long under repressive regimes. I say bring back the dignity of Arab clothes, so diverse and intricate.
How funny would it be if Arab men once again started wearing the tarboush in public? Old photos of our grandparents sporting those flat-topped, brimless hats might make us laugh, but in some of the more rural areas of the Arab world, such traditional practices survive. Indeed, photographers often seek out this authentic Arab look.
Of course, city people wouldn't be caught dead in what they call "falah" (farmer) clothes. And yet, I see how beautiful women look in these long, colourful thobes with complicated geometric and floral embroidery. A Palestinian woman once told me how each design or motif had a unique meaning, and almost each dress has a beautiful story behind it and tells where the wearer is from.
For instance, the chest panel of a dress from Gaza is V-shaped, while clothes from other Palestinian areas favour a rectangular shape. "When we sew these, it is a form of national resistance and a protection against loss of identity," she said.
There is another point to consider, however. The abaya hides flaws; a colourful thobe does not, and tends to add a kilogram or two. I know because I have tried both.
But I can't help but feel that we have allowed traditional Arab dress to slip away from our lives and become something of a relic.
Some women still wear traditional clothes on special occasions, such as weddings and Eid, but that's about it. They are also expensive and hard to find now as well.
We have become global dressers. Sure, clothes might fit better, but with a bit of effort, and stitching by the right tailor, maybe we can make our traditional dress fit better too. What you wear matters. Nazrat al nas, "the way people look at you", changes based on this somewhat superficial aspect.
rghazal@thenational.ae
On Twitter: @Arabianmau
Leap of Faith
Michael J Mazarr
Public Affairs
Dh67
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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Matador
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Pakistan squad
Sarfraz (c), Zaman, Imam, Masood, Azam, Malik, Asif, Sohail, Shadab, Nawaz, Ashraf, Hasan, Amir, Junaid, Shinwari and Afridi
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MATCH INFO
Manchester City 1 (Gundogan 56')
Shakhtar Donetsk 1 (Solomon 69')
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.