“How about teaching color and fashion sense to kids, combined with some cultural background?” said Heba, fashion designer & Zero-netter. In a few days, we had a creative and fun workshop ready, answering the intriguing question: “Who invented fashion?” and teaching kids about personal grooming as an Islamic manner, while introducing fashion history in different cultures, and illustrating how to adapt fashion trends from other cultures to suit our conservative dress code, and finally encouraging kids to design their own collection of formal, casual, sports, and house clothes.

Building on Zero-net credibility from previous cooperation in Talk2Me and Danish Dialogue Visit, New Generation School got instantly interested, so, on Thursday 22 March, 2007, the Zero-netters with Danish Journalist Gerd Laugesen and film producer Maha Shabah hopped on the school bus at 7am, in anticipation of another great day with our friends from 7th Grade.

When our 16 young friends came flocking into class in anticipation, Sahar started off with a story about a fascinating man who lived more than 1000 years ago in Muslim Spain, the most famous trendsetter of his time, who invented 3-course meals, new hair styles, toothpaste, beauty saloons for women, new music styles, shaving for men, and seasonal fashion trends in colors and fabrics. He was nicknamed Ziryab in classical Arabic, or Black Bird, because of his dark skin and lovely voice.

Then we played a magic game of color-psychology: tell me your favorite color and I’ll tell you a bit about yourself. Amazed gasps echoed around the room, and everyone was on their toes waiting for more, so Heba joined in with her colorful PowerPoint of Ancient Egyptian, Roman, Greek, and Arab costumes, she also had color and fabric samples to pass around; sketches of original modern designs; and others of adapted “culturally correct” designs.

Then off to the drawing room we went, where everyone got a large sketch, with outlines of 5 boys or 5 girls the same age as our young friends, to dress up in the latest fashion of their choice and imagining.

At first the boys looked like they’d rather play football, some girls swore they can’t draw, and others complained there weren’t enough colors on the table, but the Zero-net magic melted the ice: Heba, Nermeen and Sahar went around the room explaining and encouraging, and soon the room was buzzing with activity, laughter, and kids asking for an extra sketch to draw some more or to share the fun with brothers and sisters at home.

The boys surprised us all with their creativity; some of the girls decided they wanted to be fashion designers for Muslim clothes, and asked how they can learn. Gerd had lots of info to absorb, and we hope to read her stories soon, Maha had more reels of film, and we hope to see the final cut soon, and we’re happy for the amazing reactions we got from kids, parents, and teachers.

See you in another fun workshop, and while you wait: Don’t Hate, Educate!