MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Full bodied burkinis a huge sales success in Australia
Aheda Zanetti,(C) who claims the trademark on the name burkini and burqini, said online sales were up by 200%. 
The 48-year-old Sydney woman said the swimsuits represented freedom and healthy living - not oppression. 
“I'm an Aussie chick, I've been here all my life,” she said. “I know what hijab means. I know what veil means. I know what Islam means. And I know who I am.” Australian woman credited with creating the burkini says bans on the full-bodied Islamic swimsuit in France have boosted sales. The clothing - which combines “burqa” with “bikini” - leaves only the face, hands and feet on show.
Aheda Zanetti, who claims the trademark on the name burkini and burqini, said online sales were up by 200%. The 48-year-old Sydney woman said the swimsuits represented freedom and healthy living - not oppression.
“I'm an Aussie chick, I've been here all my life,” she said. “I know what hijab means. I know what veil means. I know what Islam means. And I know who I am.”
Ms Zanetti said the original intention behind the garment was to allow Muslim women to participate in the Australian beach lifestyle.
“I wanted my girls to grow up to have that freedom of choice,” she said. “I don't care if they want to have a bikini. It's their choice. No man in this entire world can tell us what to wear or what not to wear.”
She said the design was partially inspired by reports of France banning the hijab in schools to discourage the growth of Islam.
Authorities in several French towns have banned the garment, arguing it defies laws on secularism. The debate is particularly sensitive in France after a series of deadly attacks by Islamic extremists.
The mayor of Cannes' ruling states that “Access to beaches and for swimming is banned to any person wearing improper clothes that are not respectful of good morals and secularism”. Likewise, “Beachwear which ostentatiously displays religious affiliation, when France and places of worship are currently the target of terrorist attacks, is liable to create risks of disrupting public order.”
Finally the infringement is punishable with a fine of €38 and the ban remains in place until 31 August 2016.
Top Comments
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Read all commentsHonestly, most Aussie don't give a crap about this.
Aug 24th, 2016 - 11:23 pm 0But then we are doing a better job of integration and multiculturalism than France.
However, a nice cottage export industry.
A better job Skip...
Aug 25th, 2016 - 12:52 am 0It's not like you have a choice....you're a nation of foreigners, not a real country at all...
foreigner
Aug 25th, 2016 - 03:28 am 0ˈfɒrɪnə
noun
1. a person born in or coming from a country other than one's own.
Yes, plenty of foreigners here; 30% of Melbourne and 28% of all Australians were born in another country. And 25% have parents that were born in another country.
5% of Australians were born in the UK. They left for a reason and came here... Aussies now as well.
Still there are more Australians born in Australian than outside. So no, they cannot be termed foreigners.
As for not being a real country..... if you say so! We are richer and more prosperous than most countries, including yours.... not bad for not being “a real country”.
We had a choice in creating our country and obviously it isn't as narrow minded as you would have liked..... guess that is why we aren't British any longer.
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