Illi Studio Abayas: Prints, Borders and Design Details

Illi Studio is the focus of this guide. In its own account, the label names Emirati designer Rawdha Salem Thani as its founder and dates its launch to 11 November 2020. It describes her background in architectural design and visual arts, and a first collection inspired by celestial imagery. The individual abayas below offer a closer look at the studio’s work.

Illi Studio descriptions and official photographs reviewed on 29 October 2026.

Botanical lines and larger flowers

Heir in Pink: a drawn landscape

Heir places fine red drawings across a pink ground. The photographed outlines include branching plants, flowers and tall cactus-like forms, with space remaining visible between them. Illi Studio describes desert flora and fauna as the reference and identifies satin as the fabric. Narrow parallel red lines run beside the front opening and return at the wrists, giving the loose drawings a more orderly boundary. The front photograph also shows a pale inner layer between the two patterned sides. That pale interval makes the red edging particularly legible. If the illustrated surface is what interests you, notice both scales: the individual drawings reward a closer look, while the long borders organise the full-length outfit.

Neva: flowers drawn at a different scale

Neva in Pastel Yellow uses much larger floral outlines. Dark curved lines form broad petals over pale yellow, lilac and warmer abstract colour areas. The flowers occupy different positions and sizes, so the eye moves between them rather than following a regular row. Illi Studio calls the imagery hand-drawn and lists the fabric as Feda; that account concerns the design of the print, without establishing that each finished garment is painted by hand. In the closer photograph, the upper shoulder remains comparatively quiet above the first large flower. A plain yellow scarf would continue that quieter area, while leaving the dark petal outlines to define the more expressive lower part of the outfit.

Daisy: flowers beside a blazer front

Daisy in Green combines long printed lines with several large flower forms on the front. Illi Studio identifies crepe and a blazer cut, and the photographs show folded lapels above a long open body. The rear view is especially useful: its narrow vertical lines continue, while the prominent front flowers are absent from the visible back. This gives the two sides different visual emphasis. The label distinguishes the printed garment from the embroidered lines on its accompanying shaila. Those are separate treatments within the same presentation. The lapels also provide a recognisable upper outline, so the flowers sit within a jacket-like arrangement instead of supplying the entire shape of the look.

Alin: butterflies concentrated near the hem

Alin in Black first presents a dark upper area with small, pale scattered marks. Much larger butterfly imagery gathers towards the lower body, where cream, orange and dark lines become more densely arranged. The change is clear when the full-length photograph is compared with the closer upper view: the latter alone would understate the design’s strongest pattern. Illi Studio describes a butterfly print on crepe. In the photographed outfit, a dark scarf continues the quieter upper portion without bringing the large motif up towards the face. The appeal lies in that uneven distribution. Someone drawn to the lower butterflies would want to preserve their visibility when choosing the length of another outer layer.

Fiori: flowers interrupted by small squares

Fiori in Cream has a fine grid beneath clusters of pink and green floral imagery. In the photographs, portions of those flowers appear broken into small square-like pieces, so their edges look fragmented rather than smoothly outlined. Larger pale intervals expose the underlying lines. Illi Studio lists Barbie Crepe and describes an artistic print, while the pictures supply the more specific arrangement. The closer view also shows a tie at the side and a pale scarf laid over the front. That broad, plain scarf contrasts with both the tiny grid and the divided flower shapes. Looking at the garment without it reveals how the fine lines continue through areas that initially seem almost undecorated.

Small marks and patterned borders

Junia and Willow: two placements for dots

Junia in Black leaves much of the upper body plain before cream-and-black curves and dots become prominent below. Its sleeve ends carry related marks, and Illi Studio describes a dotted black shaila. Willow in Black & Cream spreads large leaf-like forms much more widely across the body. Its pale shapes contain dots of differing sizes, with dark outlines helping distinguish the leaves. The label explicitly describes a floral and leafy arrangement on crepe. Consider the two presentations together: Junia makes the transition from plain to patterned especially noticeable, whereas Willow keeps the patterned field active much higher up. Their shared interest in dots produces different overall distributions, rather than one interchangeable black-and-cream effect.

Mila: small dots over broad curves

Mila in Pink superimposes small dots on much broader, curving bands. Pink, pale cream and peach-toned areas bend across the front and sleeves, while the dots remain visible over those changes. The label identifies Crepe Satin and describes the two printed elements. The full photograph gives the curves their scale; the closer view makes the separate dotted layer easier to distinguish. This is movement suggested by the drawing itself, rather than evidence of spiral seams or shaped panels. A plain pale scarf, as photographed, leaves the double pattern intact below it. The design can therefore be read in two stages: broad waves from farther away, followed by the finer marks distributed over them.

Rumi: blue details across a brown ground

Rumi in Light Brown pairs small blue dots with broader blue, lace-inspired decoration at the hem and sleeve ends. Illi Studio names Satin Crepe as the material. The full-length photograph establishes how far the lower decorative band extends; the closer picture shows the same blue used much more narrowly around the wrists. A blue scarf brings that colour into a larger uninterrupted area near the face, with its own small dark marks. These shifts in proportion give the outfit its interest: blue is a tiny repeated accent, a substantial border and a broad scarf ground. The description calls the lower detail lace-inspired, so its patterned appearance should not be mistaken for a confirmed lace insert.

Heather: stripes meeting roses

Heather in Black uses pale, irregular vertical stripes over its upper and central areas. Near the hem, outlined roses create a denser botanical section. The label describes these two elements and identifies Feda as the fabric, with a matching printed shaila. In the scarf photograph, large dark spaces surround separate rose drawings, making its distribution different from the strongly striped garment beneath. A long scarf drape consequently introduces a quieter dark panel through the striped upper front while repeating the floral subject. The roses do not need to be spread evenly across every part for the outfit to remain connected. Heather’s particular balance comes from giving the stripes and flowers different areas in which to be most visible.

Grids, hearts and repeated shapes

Argyle: tiny hearts within large diamonds

Argyle in Brown combines broad diagonal diamonds with much finer crossing lines made from tiny hearts. The close photograph makes those small shapes visible, while the full-length view reveals the larger dark-and-brown arrangement. Illi Studio describes a semi A-line cut, a centre-front tie and lined sleeves. The lining statement belongs specifically to the sleeves. Its printed chiffon shaila is another named component. The short upper tie leaves the diamond pattern visible through most of the long front, and the restrained colour contrast gives the fine heart lines a separate role. The design rewards comparing distance and detail: from farther away the large diagonal blocks lead; closer inspection reveals the much smaller repeated motif.

DIL and GRID: hearts in two arrangements

Illi Studio places DIL and GRID within its GAYA Ramadan Capsule. DIL in spring gradient sets large ornate hearts, flowers and curved lines over changing colour fields; the listed material is Heavy Satin. GRID in black x cream repeats heart motifs inside smaller diagonal compartments and is described as crepe. Darker bands beside its front and at its sleeve ends contain much smaller marks. Both descriptions identify a hand-embroidered shaila, without making that technique a claim about every motif on the abaya. Viewed together, the designs offer a clear change of scale: DIL gives individual hearts more space, while GRID makes the repeated compartment the organising feature across much of the garment.

Twill: a grid interrupted by floral areas

Twill in Purple places sections of fine grid beside plainer purple areas and pale blue floral imagery. The arrangement is uneven across the photographed front: one side carries a larger blue motif, while other sections allow the smaller lines to remain prominent. Illi Studio describes lace-inspired prints and names the fabric Barbie Crepe. Twill is the model name here, rather than sufficient evidence for naming the cloth’s weave. The long dark scarf in the closer picture forms a plain vertical interruption beside the grid. Removing that visual interruption would make the small squares more continuous through the upper outfit. The design’s interest lies in the meeting of three surfaces: plain colour, fine geometry and a larger floral drawing.

Scallop: repeated fans and a wavy centre

Scallop in Brown covers the body and sleeves with repeating rounded, fan-like forms. Several close, wavy lines trace the front opening, giving the centre a different rhythm from the scattered-looking rows on either side. Illi Studio identifies Crinkled Crepe and an all-over scallop print. That wording matters: the named scallops are a printed pattern, rather than a statement that the garment’s outer edge has been cut into curves. The photographed plain beige scarf repeats the lighter colour without copying the small forms. It also temporarily conceals part of the wavy centre. Comparing the scarf and scarf-free views makes the front’s distinctive boundary much easier to notice within such a densely patterned surface.

Shells and other marine imagery

Shell: fine outlines above stronger colour

Shell in Cream begins with fine shell outlines across a pale upper body. Towards the hem, larger layered forms introduce blue, rust, green and darker areas, making the lower section much more prominent. Illi Studio identifies crepe and a shell print. The full-length photograph shows how strongly the colour is concentrated below; the closer view reveals that the quieter upper part still contains many fine curved lines. A pale scarf can therefore sit beside the upper drawing without adding a new motif, while a coloured accessory could pick up one of the lower accents. The important distinction is between a lightly drawn upper field and the more emphatic overlapping shapes near the bottom.

Marin: pearl imagery drawn across yellow

Marin in Yellow distributes marine imagery more widely across its body. The photographs show shell-like forms, branching shapes and looping rows of small pale circles over a yellow ground. Illi Studio identifies Satin Crepe and explicitly describes pearl prints. The circles should therefore be understood as part of the printed image, without implying that real pearls have been attached. A side tie appears in the closer photograph, with the print continuing around that area. The scarf shown is largely plain yellow, giving the face area a broad field of the background colour. Here, the small loops add another line to follow between the larger marine forms, rather than concentrating all the detail at one border.

Sea shell: embroidery between broad colour bands

The Sea shell Abaya in Light Blue uses broad blue and grey-toned areas across its length, with small shell forms and narrow decorative bands at the transitions. Illi Studio specifies crepe, embroidery and lace detailing. In the full photograph, the repeated horizontal changes are clearer than the individual shells; the closer view makes those small motifs easier to locate. The pale scarf hangs vertically through this sequence, introducing a different direction across the broad bands. The small scattered shells remain separate from the bands that organise the length, adding detail between those more prominent horizontal divisions. The photographs show their arrangement, while the maker’s specification supplies the basis for calling the shells embroidered.

Colour fields and quieter areas

Tie Dye in Teal: colour across the back

Tie Dye in Teal combines pale blue-green areas with yellow and warmer cloud-like patches. Its rear photograph is particularly useful because it shows the colour continuing across the long back, beyond the portions visible at the open front. Illi Studio describes an A-line cut, pleated rib fabric, chiffon lining and a raw-edge finish. It also states that the chiffon shaila matches the lining’s colour. In the front image, that pale scarf and the pale clothing underneath separate the two coloured outer panels. The rear view removes most of that interruption. Together, the pictures explain why the same garment appears more restrained from the front and more continuously coloured from behind in this presentation.

Azura: a dark upper area becoming patterned

Azura in Black places its strongest colour and imagery towards the lower body. The upper area appears largely black, changing gradually into mauve-toned forms and botanical-looking details below. Illi Studio lists Crinkled Crepe and a matching printed shaila. In the closer photograph, a tie sits to one side of the upper front, interrupting the otherwise long dark area. The printed scarf lifts some of the lower colour towards the face without covering the body in the same pattern. This is a useful distinction within the photographed outfit: the abaya concentrates its imagery lower down, while the scarf redistributes that imagery above. The amount of scarf shown will change that balance without changing the garment’s own printed arrangement.

Liyona: pattern kept close to the ground colour

Liyona in Burgundy creates a comparatively subtle distinction between its plain and patterned areas. The label identifies Feda and locates print at the sides and sleeves, with a matching printed shaila. In the close photograph, the scarf’s fine tonal pattern becomes easier to see than it is in the full-length view. Much of the central body remains a broad burgundy field. That makes placement particularly relevant: the print supplies detail without creating a sharp light-and-dark boundary around every motif. A similarly coloured scarf can keep this relationship close, while a paler one would introduce a contrast absent from the photographed styling. Liyona’s specific attraction is the small difference between neighbouring surfaces within one principal colour.

Fleur: a lace print above a plain body

Fleur in Cream concentrates dark, lace-like drawing across the upper body and around the sleeve ends. Beneath the upper patterned area, a much larger cream section remains plain. Illi Studio describes lace print paired with solid colour and lists Barbie Crepe. The distinction between print and actual lace is central to understanding this garment: the visible floral complexity does not, by itself, establish openwork or transparency. The closer photograph shows the printed area extending across the shoulder and upper sleeve, while small dark accents appear down the front. A plain scarf partially covers that upper field. Its length therefore changes how much of the shoulder-to-chest pattern remains visible in the finished outfit.

Embroidery and shaped front edges

Serah: small daisies with long plain intervals

Serah in Light Yellow distributes small flowers across a very pale body. Illi Studio specifies crepe and daisy embroidery. The photographs leave generous plain intervals between the motifs, so each little stem and flower remains separate. A series of narrow ties runs down the front, creating another repeated detail without forming a broad contrasting panel. Near the wrists, the pale sleeve finish stays close to the body colour. The garment’s appearance depends on this relatively sparse distribution: a tiny floral element, a fine tie and a long area of uninterrupted cloth. A pale scarf continues that spacing around the face. A heavily patterned scarf would introduce a much denser area beside the small embroidered flowers.

Elise: scallops outlined against black

Elise in Black has a strongly defined front edge, with pale violet curves and small coloured details standing out against the plain dark body. The same curved outline returns at the wrists. Illi Studio identifies crepe, embroidery and scallop-cut details at the front and sleeves. Here, the curves belong to the stated shaping as well as to the decoration. The full photograph makes the long paired front edges prominent, while the closer view shows how little of the sleeve needs decoration to repeat that effect. A dark scarf keeps attention on those outlined edges. The resulting composition leaves the body largely quiet while drawing a continuous route around the opening and a shorter one around each cuff.

Reya: fine botanical lines beside a curved edge

Reya in Pastel Pink combines delicate floral outlines with a scallop-cut front. Illi Studio identifies Feda and describes the print as linear. The photographs show small blue and muted warm-toned details distributed across the pale surface, while the front edge follows a much larger wavering line. A tie appears at the side in the closer view. These are different kinds of detail: the drawings occupy the cloth, and the scalloped boundary changes its visible outline. The plain pale scarf crosses some of the fine imagery without repeating it. Looking along the opening, rather than only at the flowers, reveals why this garment has a recognisable shape even where the print remains comparatively faint.

Maarah: coloured motifs and decorated ties

Maarah in Black sets small coloured motifs against broad dark areas. Hearts, flowers and bird-like forms appear across the photographed upper front, while much of the lower body remains comparatively plain. Illi Studio identifies crepe and embroidery at the front, with further accents on the ties. The closer photograph helps locate those narrow hanging elements near the sides, where their decoration is less obvious in the full-length view. The design therefore has a main field of small motifs and a second, finer detail on the ties. A plain dark scarf keeps those separate areas legible. The interest comes from their limited placement and colour, rather than a continuous embroidered surface covering the whole garment.

Overlapping fronts and smaller accents

Lizzy: an off-centre arrangement in royal blue

Lizzy in Royal Blue places a gathered-looking detail off centre on the upper front, with a long tie falling below it. Illi Studio describes front ties and button detailing, and gives the fabric name Satin Rosette. The photographs show a much plainer expanse beneath the crossing upper area, with similarly quiet sleeves. The strong blue colour consequently carries much of the overall impression, while the tie explains the uneven front arrangement. A long scarf draped directly over that side would conceal part of the feature; a placement leaving it visible would retain the photographed emphasis. The written description does not set out a complete adjustable wrap mechanism, so the visible crossing should be described without assuming one.

Leah: lace following a diagonal overlap

Leah in Dusty Pink has a diagonal upper overlap with pale lace concentrated near that crossing. A side tie is visible, while the long lower body remains mostly plain. Illi Studio identifies crepe, lace accents and the overlapping front. At the wrists, a related decorative area ends in a more irregular edge, repeating the pale detail away from the neckline. The closer photograph is useful for seeing that the lace does not cover the entire upper body: it follows a specific route across it. A plain scarf can leave part of that diagonal exposed. The arrangement links a crossing line near the shoulder with shorter decorative endings at the hands, using the same gentle colour contrast.

Emmi: a narrow border with bows along the sleeves

Emmi in Beige pairs a pale body with a narrow pink-lilac decorative line around the front. Related edging finishes the wrists, and small bows appear at intervals down the sleeves. Illi Studio specifies lace details across the front and sleeves, and names Barbie Crepe as the fabric. The close photograph makes the sleeve bows easier to distinguish from the much finer border. Their spacing introduces separate little points along the arm, while the front decoration remains a continuous line. A plain beige scarf repeats the main ground colour, leaving the pink-lilac accents to supply the contrast. This is a design in which the route of the edging and the position of the bows explain more than the amount of decoration.

Livia: bright beads beside a dotted scarf

Livia in Black places bright, rounded bead details across the lower sleeves and along their edges. Illi Studio identifies crepe and a matching polka-dot shaila. In the close photograph, very fine parallel lines also follow the long front opening, giving that area a different treatment from the more isolated bright sleeve details. The scarf’s many pale dots bring another scale of repetition into the outfit. Their appearance should remain distinct from the beads attached to the sleeves: one is the scarf’s named pattern, the other the garment’s stated decorative detail. A plain dark scarf would remove that dotted layer, leaving the sleeve accents and narrow front lines as the most noticeable parts of this black presentation.

Following a design into an outfit

Once a particular garment has caught your eye, the next questions concern your own layers, preferred coverage and daily use. Our guide to practical details in a modern abaya considers sleeves, fastenings, movement and other checks that photographs cannot settle on their own.

To explore another maker’s approach, continue with Mauzan, NAFS and their creative choices. That account follows named designers through their collections and working relationships, offering another way to connect a garment’s visible details with the people and ideas behind it.