These are the pretty pastel coloured outfits and matching hijabs that saw a rapidly expanding Muslim fashion label 'swarmed' by police when they mistook the clothes placed outside for a fashion shoot as 'Islamic flags.'
The white, mint and pink garments from Hijab House were part of a new line of clothes the fashion label was releasing.
Described as 'one of the world's largest hijab fashion brands that offers the latest looks to young hijabis,' Hijab House believes they were targeted because of models wearing hijabs.
Founded in 2011, the fashion label has more than 120,000 Instagram followers and over 270,000 likes on Facebook.
Well known among the Muslim community, items are known to sell during the festive period of Ramadan.
Responsible for designing looks that are culturally relevant the brand prides itself on designing Islamic fashion that is 'fun and exciting while maintaining a modest and sophisticated look.'
Based in Sydney's western suburbs, the clothes are designed with the rule that only the face, hand and feet may be visible while also appealing to their market audience.
At least five officers interrupted the fashion shoot outside the Victoria Barracks army base museum in the west of Sydney on Sunday, according to The Australian.
The owner of Sydney label Hijab House, Tarik Houchar, who lives in Sydney, claimed that officers asked the group to remove the clothes from where they had been hanging on a fence.
'I'm still baffled by how the police could have mistaken ordinary looking garments for flags,' Mr Houchar said.
'I'm saddened by it all. We were definitely targeted because we had models that were in a hijab.'
NSW Police confirmed they approached the group, which included a stylist and photographer, and took down their personal details.
When Mr Houchar asked why they were being questioned in an 'intimidating' way, one officer allegedly said it was because of 'things happening overseas'.
Mr Houchar has since taken to Facebook to criticise the police for interrupting the 'small scale, beautiful and peaceful' photo shoot.
'So apparently in modern day Australia, this is now classified as War/cult paraphernalia,' he wrote after sharing an image of some of the clothes hanging on the fence.
'You might have to stop hanging your clothes on the clothesline; you'll have police swooping in on your yards.
'They were being proactive but there could have been a complain we didn't know about. Although that would surprise me as the photo shoot was so small scale and beautiful/peaceful.'
(dailymail.co.uk)
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