A Message from the Founder

I would like to take a moment to extend my warmest greetings and personally welcome you to thowby ثـوبـي.

Since founding thowby in Dubai in 2017, my vision has been to shape a new future for abaya fashion and bring this beautiful garment into the global spotlight.

As a lifelong abaya wearer, I have always believed that the abaya is the epitome of modest sophistication and grace. I wanted to share my passion with like-minded women across cultures, countries, backgrounds, and ethnicities—women who appreciate the beauty, meaning, and elegance of this timeless garment.

I began by designing my first signature abaya, which I like to think of as the original masterpiece. It brought together classic tradition and contemporary elegance, representing everything I wanted thowby to embody. That first creation became the inspiration for every abaya that followed.

As I see it, an abaya is more than a piece of clothing. It is an expression of confidence, a reflection of individuality, and a symbol of identity.

The name thowby was inspired by the Arabic word “thawb,” which refers to a garment that covers the body and has been worn across the Gulf for centuries. When I say that thowby is firmly rooted in the values of our Emirati heritage, I truly mean it. At the same time, our story is connected to the wider global tradition of cover-up garments that have existed across different cultures throughout history.

To me, the abaya represents a woman’s freedom to express herself and make her own choices. It is a garment of empowerment—one that carries confidence, dignity, and grace. Through thowby, we hope to challenge misconceptions surrounding modest fashion and share a more authentic and inspiring narrative with the world.

The greatest share of our strength and success belongs to you—our treasured clients. Your belief in thowby, your appreciation for our creations, and the thoughtful feedback you continue to share inspire us to move onward and upward every day. I am forever grateful to each of you.

I could not have reached these milestones without my dedicated team. From the skilled artisans in our in-house Atelier to those who keep our boutiques and daily operations running smoothly, every member of the team plays an essential role and forms the backbone of thowby.

With each passing year, I remain steadfast in my commitment to shaping an empowering future for abayas and modest fashion. I continue to learn, evolve, and educate myself about emerging trends and the changing preferences of women around the world. My goal is to build a brand that remains inclusive, relevant, and deeply connected to the women we serve, while always honouring the heritage from which it was born.

I am always here to listen. Your thoughts on how we can improve and what we can do differently are invaluable to me. My ears and heart will always remain open so that we can continue to grow together.

Thank you for believing in thowby and for being an essential part of our journey.

With love,

Houda Abdulrahman 🩵
Founder of thowby ثـوبـي
Dubai, United Arab Emirates