Australia
In 2003, Aheda Zanetti, founder of Ahiida Pty Ltd (AHIIDA) and designer of the BURQINI ™ / BURKINI ™ brand swimwear, was inspired by watching her niece playing netball in a traditional Hijab/Veil to begin a search for sporting garments suitable for Muslim women. Unable to find anything which matched the demands for comfort and flexibility with the requirements for modesty, she designed and produced the first examples of AHIIDA’s now famous clothing lines BURQINI ™ / BURKINI ™ swimwear and HIJOOD ™ sportswear. The BURQINI ™ / BURKINI ™ brand name was invented and developed by designer Aheda Zanetti as part of the early marketing of her product – swimwear which is “two piece like a bikini” and smaller than a burka.