Thread: "Madame Abla"'s at The Bellydance Store

Has anyone else noticed the new "Madame Abla" costumes at the Belly Dance Store? They look a bit like Noussa's to me...

I purchased a costume there last year, and Sherazad said that it was made by Mme. Abla's daughter. Maybe that is an explanation? Now, mine was a bra/belt set with looped fringe and wavy cups, a bit more similar to the traditional Mme. Abla designs I am familiar with.

I was just noticing that. Disconcerting.

Madam Abla erself is death. This is now more than 3 years.
maybe er daughter overtake the label. Noussa is the sister of madam bla, also all one family....

I talked to Sherazad a few weeks ago (December) and she explained that Mdme. Abla's nephew (I think) had taken over the business and that the family was working on new costume designs that the Bellydance Store would be getting in January. I guess she got them...

Turquoise Int is also selling Abla designs made by her family.

I just saw it a few minutes ago... Some models look like Noussa's, yes...

Noussa is her daughter in law who trained under Abla, so you'll see the same style beading...

It kinda bothers me that they are listing the costumes as 'Madame Abla'. I would prefer to see 'Abla Family', or something like that, since the legendary Mme Abla is no longer alive. Her creations were to die for, especially the ones made in the 90's..

Hm. Very interesting. I knew that Turquoise intl has some of her family's stuff, I guess it was just disconcerting to see her name.

I'm lucky enough to have some of her original stuff and it's amazing.

My eyes popped out of my head when I saw this. I thought I was going to faint from the beauty Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

Originally Posted by Michelle75

My eyes popped out of my head when I saw this. I thought I was going to faint from the beauty Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

that looks like a noussa, I'm sure it's worth every penny. good golly!!!

dark blue and gold "abla"
gold animal print "abla"
blue and gold "abla"
black dress "abla"

Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery
Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery
Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery
Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

Madame Abla's son Hussain has officially taken over the business and the Madame Abla design and name. He was trained by her of course. It's my understanding he will continue with some of her original designs as well as design new ones.
The bellydancestore was working on some sort of announcement/explanation that they have permission to use the Mdme Abla name because it's the son's now.

There is a white and opalescent one at the store (not on the site) that is TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!! I don't know if it has sold or simply hasn't been photographed yet, but it's just AMAZING!

is the fringe white, too?

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

There is a white and opalescent one at the store (not on the site) that is TO DIE FOR!!!!!!!! I don't know if it has sold or simply hasn't been photographed yet, but it's just AMAZING!

it's not been photographed or measured yet....yeah, i know, it's haunting ME too! it is SO lovely, oriental and really oozes vintage!

there were a couple purple ones too that haven't been pulled that i'm dying to see in their entirety........i LOOOOOOOVE abla, vintage AND new thru her atalier

i for one am glad the family is continuing her legacy and name.....mme. abla embodies class, quality, and beauty

(disclaimer: i'm a devout abla collector with no shame!)

without any accompanying text, i would've guessed all the costumes listed in the above links to be noussas. they are beautiful, but the proportions of design and embellishment are quite different, imo, than original ablas. its kind of like attributing the haydn quartets to haydn and not mozart. both masters of their art, but there are clear artistic differences.

how do other design houses handle their branding if the original designer passes away?

chanel is still chanel, yves staint laurent became ysl, pucci is still pucci, halston is still a brand but has faded into relative obscurity, oleg cassini licensed the brand into oblivion

i like how turquoise international has "original madame ablas" and "abla style". its very clear what is left of her original designs and what has been created after her passing. i hope her legacy is carried on in a respectful and responsible way.
/endrant

I found it very missleading too, because there are still some original Mme Ablas on the market, which were designed by her, and are still on stocks since her death.
I think Dahlal still has some of them, you can find it time to time on e-bay or Bhuz, and I heard there are few pieces at Abla's family stock (but I am not sure if this is true).

So I would really like to distinguish her original work from the work of her daughter in law or any other seamstress' (no matter if they were trained by Mme Abla, the design is NOT the same - as Sabrina pointed in her post above)

i don't find it misleading. it's known that Mme Abla has passed, and the business continues (as well it should), and thankfully her family is keeping her name and designs and quality alive. NO ONE makes it like that anymore BUT her family's atalier....i have a vintage abla fullblown fringe monster that i adore, and a vintage dress, also fringe-alicious!.....and saw many of her designs released 2 years ago, before her passing.....very, very similar to noussa, so you can see where noussa got her easthetic...AND quality bead styling.......

like non BD design houses that maintain a designer's name long after their passing, i consider continuing her legacy, not misleading the consumers.....while Cairo has some great, talented designers, the old adage 'they just don't make em like that anymore' definitely applies to Abla, past and present....

i'm MORE thankful that Abla family designs maintain the high quality and style, as opposed to letting the quality lapse, as some people trying to cut costs or make more money would be tempted to do. anything that comes out of that atalier anywhere makes me wanna see.

Hubby would argue this point with you. He was close friends with Mme Abla for many, many years, and he respected her work and always went to her for his productions. Since Mme Abla has passed away, it's not the same for him anymore.

It's my opinion that in distinguishing what is a true 'Mme Abla' and what is now done by those she trained shows respect for her artistry and talent. Yes, her family is continuing the business, and the work is very nice... but those who have true 'Mme Abla' costumes know a deep, deep regret that there will be no more costumes by the great and legendary Abla.

this is very true, and i DO own two vintage beauties, both from the 80's, and very, very signature abla.....gorgeously beaded, solid workmanship, HEAVY, with all their amazing accessories, and looks like barely a bead or sequin missing despite two decades of loving use......

i fell in love with Mme. Abla when i was a baby-dancer, when i was studying with aunt Rocky (just Rocky then :p), who wore Abla exclusively. I remember her costume closet and wanted to get lost in it, and 2 costumes still haunt me...one she still has and one she sold that another student scooped up :p.

and yes, it is a HUGE loss that her own work is lost, and can't be gotten unless you luck out on a vintage beauty. but to me, its heartening that her legacy continues instead of just disappearing. it would have been worse, in my mind, that the workmanship and class just stopped and died...cuz despite nice cossies from other designers, all of those designers try to imitate, but always fall short.....the quality of that family is unparallelled

They've changed the category name now to Madame Abla Fashions. I think that is better...

And while the Abla Family costumes I've examined may not be of the same quality as her originals, they are better than a lot of what is on the market today.

Originally Posted by Michelle75

My eyes popped out of my head when I saw this. I thought I was going to faint from the beauty Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

:tongue:

wait'll you see the new stuff, there's a green that is haunting me!

moving to ISO threads...

I can't see a problem with carrying on with the name. As long as the quality is there,it's honouring her work. After all you can still buy something with "Chanel" label.

I'm seeing some costumes there now that are not the quality of a Mme Abla and that you have been able to buy at Mahmouds in Cairo for years.

Originally Posted by Michelle75

My eyes popped out of my head when I saw this. I thought I was going to faint from the beauty Belly Dance Costumes | Belly Dance Store.com: gallery

That's the one that I noticed, too. I wonder if that style would be flattering on my straight-up-and-down figure. It seems that it might create the illusion of a more hourglass shape. Very pretty!

Originally Posted by Lauren_

:tongue:

I bought that costume a while ago, but had to return it because my torso was too long and i would have to alter the design somehow to make it sit on my hips. The workmanship is amazing. Worth every penny. I've never owned an Abla, original or not, but I have to say that the next purchase I'll make is one of those....SOOO much better quality than the new Pharaonix I just received.