Who will be Egypt's next 'Hijab Queen'?
Young Egyptian designer Aya Mahmoud wants to hold the hijab to a higher standard, while highlighting the value of conservative fashion among Egypt's young women.
Aya Mahmoud, a dress designer whose designs cater to veiled women, is being rebuffed by religious and secular critics alike for staging her second annual beauty pageant, which culminates April 9 with the crowning of “Hijab Queen” in the Cairo suburb 6th of October City.
Yet the event has a growing fan base: Last year, only 200 women sought the title; this year, 2,500 women applied through the pageant’s Facebook page.
