Prominent Malaysian influencer Effi Saharudin (known online as 1Obefiend) tweeted that there was a market for expensive hijabs, phones, cars and bags.
“RM2K hijabs are like RM5K phones, RM3 million cars and RM45K bags. If you complain about their existence then you are not the target market. “Why must hijab be so expensive” you ask? Same reason why there is a 6 stars hotel in Mecca overlooking kaaba. The market exist,” (sic) tweeted Effi.
Hijabs are headscarves worn by Muslim women to cover up their modesty.
User @NiniNell replied to 1Obefiend, “Yes. Social status and exclusivity. Anyone can afford a RM5 tudung but a RM2.5K tudung? That separates you from the crowd making it exclusive. Why some ppl can’t grasp this concept.”
Another user @aimanattar wrote, “We have a perfect saying for this in Malay – Ukur baju di badan sendiri. Live within your means and mind your own business. Let others do theirs. Simple. 🙂 No toxic mind.”
@asyrafi said, “Don’t compare tudung with phone and car engineering. Still a capitalist world.”
Unlike driving a luxury car or carrying an expensive handbag, you can’t really show off your hijab because there are no labels for which you can identify the brand of the hijab.
Having said that, in Malaysia high-end hijab brands do really well to the point that there is even a pre-loved market so that people can afford the hijab. -/TISG