Sizzlin', Baby!

When I first heard of the 'burkini', I thought that it was a joke. But, it is the real deal. I find it hard to believe that some fanatic muslims are offended by it. They should be delighted with the burkini and looking forward to Spring Break.

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Australia's burkini set to put Muslim women in the swim

Posted on Monday, January 15, 2007 (EST)

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What do you get when you cross Australian beach culture with a desire to remain clothed in a way acceptable to Muslim women? If you're designer Aheda Zanetti, you get what she says is the world's first two-piece Islamic swimsuit, the burkini.

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While other Islamic swimsuits exist, Zanetti says her light-weight, head-to-ankle costumes are the first to be streamlined down to a two-piece suit incorporating a head covering.

With Australian beaches full of girls in skimpy bikinis and revealing one-pieces, there was a "hole in the market that needed to be filled" for more modest beachwear, she said.

"A lot of girls were missing out, a lot of women were missing out, on a lot of sporting activities, including swimming," Zanetti told AFP from the clutter of her southwestern Sydney shopfront.

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