Gaza fashion show blends past and present

Nearly three decades ago, Aida Abu Sitta began to collect old dresses from Palestinian refugee camps, and redesigned them with a blend of contemporary and traditional elements. 

One of the models at Abu Sitta’s latest fashion show told Al Jazeera that the goal was to preserve the Palestinian heritage that Israel has tried to destroy. The dresses are meant to represent the identity of the person wearing them, Abu Sitta said.

Demand for her dresses has been growing among both old and young women in recent years, said Abu Sitta, who recently displayed her wares at a fashion show at the Roots hotel in Gaza City.