A burkini (or burqini; portmanteau of burqa and bikini, though qualifying as neither of these garments) is a style of swimsuit for women. The suit covers the whole body except the face, the hands, and the feet, while being light enough for swimming. This type of swimwear was designed with the intention of creating swimwear for Muslims who observe hijab in this way. The amount of skin covered is about the same as the person wearing a full body wetsuit and a swimming cap.[1]
The burkini was originally designed in Australia by Aheda Zanetti.[2] Zanetti's company Ahiida owns the trademarks to the words burkini and burqini, but they are sometimes used as generic terms for similar forms of swimwear.[3]
In 2016, a number of French municipalities banned the wearing of burkinis, which sparked international controversy and accusations of Islamophobia. The resulting publicity caused a significant increase in sales, especially sales to non-Muslims and to survivors of skin cancer. Before then, Zanetti's company had sold about 700,000 burkinis worldwide.[2]
- ^ Noman, Natasha. "The inventor of the burkini says nearly half of her customers are not actually Muslim". Mic.com. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2019.
- ^ a b Taylor, Adam (19 August 2016). "The surprising Australian origin story of the burkini". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 21 August 2016.
- ^ "Has burqini become a generic trademark?". genericides.org. 7 September 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2021.