Muslimah designer Rabia Z heads to Paris to speak to parliamentarians about the political restrictions on Muslim women's dress:

"I want to raise awareness to the West that our veils are not something to be scared of," Rabia Z., whose debut collection was revealed at Dubai Fashion Week 2007, told Maktoob News on the sidelines of the Women in the Arab World conference on Monday.

France has recommended a ban on the face-covering veil in all schools, hospitals, public transport and government offices, the broadest move yet to restrict Muslim dress in France, calling the wearing of the full veil "unacceptable".

Rabia, sporting high heels, trousers, a short skirt around her pants and a blue scarf that covers her head, said she thinks "everyone has a right to their expression and for us our veils are our expression. It is not oppression. That is what I need to show and hope to show."

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