Have you ever had a moment when something you thought about in a certain way your whole life was suddenly turned upside down, and in the best way possible?

For Haute Hijab CEO Melanie Elturk, that moment came on a fateful trip to Granada, Spain in 2014; a moment that eight years later blossomed into the stunning Alhambra-inspired and chevron-drenched Path to Andalusia Hijab, part of our A Journey Through Time Woven Print collection.

“By the time I made my visit to Alhambra in Spain, I had already been to Turkey two years prior and had fallen in love with the Islamic art and architecture there. But in Granada and Andalusia, the Spanish influence was new to me, and it was a real East-meets-West vibe.

And that’s when the “epiphany” moment came. “There were these tiles I was standing on in Alhambra that created these chevron patterns. Now I had seen this pattern throughout the palace,” Melanie says. “This was really interesting to me because chevron looks like herringbone, and that was a pattern I gravitated towards all the time.

“In high school, I assumed [houndstooth and chevron] were a European-inspired pattern. Then I go to Alhambra, and I see this gorgeous chevron pattern, and I thought to myself – if this was here, and this was built centuries upon centuries ago, chances are Europeans were inspired by it – inspired by Muslim heritage and Islamic art.”

Having the knowledge that some of the most editorial and elevated patterns in fashion gained its roots from Islamic art and architecture brought a newfound sense of pride for Melanie. “It was in that moment that I felt, of course it comes from us. When you learn that these beautiful patterns and motifs come from our own Islamic heritage, it's a powerful moment, and I wanted to bring that legacy to a hijab,” she says.

Along with her team, Elizabeth Walsh, HH’s Production Development Manager, took inspiration from Melanie’s photos from that trip and her breakthrough moment to create the Path to Andalusia Hijab. She laid out the tessellated chevron pattern similar to the tilework in Alhambra and added an Arabesque twist to it so that it wasn’t a basic block chevron. “Then we drew upon the olive, black and ivory palette to bring the details and roots of that time and place in our Islamic heritage to life,” says Elizabeth.

It all comes together in a beautiful homage to our Islamic artistry as it meshes with Spanish and Moroccan influences. We hope you feel awash in the love and pride for our Islamic heritage when you wear this hijab that we did in creating it!

The colors of this hijab lends itself to numerous styling options. If you’re monochromatic in your outfit – focusing on shades of black, cream or olive – this hijab can be the focal point to the whole fit. Pair a black top or sweater (or deep green) with this hijab and let the chevron pattern elegantly frame your face.

The Path to Andalusia Hijab also perfectly fits in with your fall neutrals with its earthy tones brightened by the lines of ivory. Secure this hijab with a No-Snag Hijab Magnet, criss-cross the ends and toss one end behind your shoulder while letting the other flutter in a beautiful drape across your other shoulder to showcase the stunning print.

This hijab is the same length and width as our standard Bamboo Wovens (74” X 27”) and have the same fibers and sustainability properties as our original Wovens. (See here to read more about how our Bamboo Wovens are made and the science of the eco-friendly manufacturing processes that went into this hijab line.)

Made of 100 percent bamboo, hand wash or machine wash this hijab on warm with only other scarves. Tumble dry low or hang to dry. For make-up or oil stains, spot treat with stain remover, and steam or iron on medium from the center outwards.