(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Arjah Municipality issues reminder to shops to abide by rules which ban use of mannequins with heads Have you noticed mannequins with indecent clothes or with heads attached to them at shopping malls and retail outlets in Sharjah Well they are illegal in the emirate as per a Sharjah Municipality directive issued in 2008. After the directive headless mannequins had replaced the existing ones with full features across Sharjah but mannequins with heads are slowly but surely making its way back in the emirate.
Many Sharjah shoppers have noticed that the owners of garment shops and showrooms in malls and shopping centres are not abiding by these municipality rules that ban the use of mannequins with heads attached for window displays. The Sharjah Municipality had issued a circular in 2008 stipulating that the display of clothes should be decent and the mannequins should be headless. The circular was sent to all shops stating that the mannequins were forbidden to display underwear as so to uphold the traditional and religious values of the emirate.
The Sharjah Municipality had implemented the ban seven years ago following a fatwa issued by the Islamic Affairs Department.
“Mannequins in Sharjah shops should be headless and only model ‘decent’ clothing” the Sharjah Municipality circular had stated. Reminders circulated
A top official at the Market Control section at the Sharjah Municipality said the civic body recently distributed circulars to remind the owners of garment shops and showrooms of the existing rules. Some shops were issued warnings to respect the rules and directives issued by the government.
Following the reminder he said the municipality as part of its regular inspection to control the market would ensure all shops are abiding by the rules. “The reminder was necessitated by the fact that some outlets had stopped abiding by the rule. Shop owners should respect the rules and culture of the emirate” he commented.
The municipality intensified its inspection campaign during this Ramadan and Eid and found some shops displaying naked mannequins or those with only lingerie. They were issued warnings and hefty fines were levied on them. “The municipality issued the ban because it was a religious issue that raised many complaints from residents who were against shops displaying men’s and women’s undergarments on mannequins” he said.
He urged shopkeepers to abide by the ban.
Another official at the Sharjah Economic Development Department said the Market Control section has ordered shops to follow the rules and instructed all shops and shopping centres to use headless mannequins and hire only female employees to sell women’s undergarments. Shoppers speak
Fatma Al Shamsi a Sharjah resident shopped at Al Shaab Village where she found several mannequins with heads. According to her earlier a lot of people complained against the display of mannequins with heads or sporting indecent clothing as it is against Islamic teachings and offensive to the Muslim community in the emirate. “Now however due to lack of inspection from the authorities concerned the shops are displaying the banned mannequins” she said.
Mohammed Sharafa another resident of Sharjah said most of the shops at Sharjah City Centre and other malls violate the rules set by the government to respect the sentiments of the Muslim community. Khalid Attiah another resident said: “I realised that many shops are not following the rules due to lack of inspections and follow up from the authorities concerned.”
Resident Awatif Hamid said some of the shops are displaying underwear in an “embarrassing and offensive way” which is not acceptable in the emirate. “I entered a shop with my older son and felt shy and embarrassed when I saw some mannequins displaying underwear in an indecent way” she said. ‘Expensive’
mannequins
Shop owners Khaleej Times spoke to expressed their helplessness at the directive and said these mannequins are expensive and tend to attract shoppers “only when they have heads”.
A garment shop owner in Al Shaab village said they buy these expensive mannequins from France and China. “They do not make headless mannequins. When we bring them here it’s very difficult to remove its heads. Shoppers will be attracted to our shops only when they see the garment wore by mannequins with full features.
“Some shoppers do not like to go to the fitting room to try the clothes; they are satisfied with the display on mannequins.”
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