Since the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, placed the traditional black Arab "bisht" embroidered with golden threads, on the shoulders of Argentine world champion Lionel Messi last Sunday, the flow of customers to Ahmed Al-Salem's store in Souq Waqif in Doha has not stopped.

The Ahmed Al-Salem family company - based in the famous Souq Waqif in Doha - woven the bisht that Messi wore while raising the cup, and his image spread around the world, arousing a wave of admiration and praise, especially from Arab activists on social media.

The store, which has long supplied clothes to the Qatari royal family, usually sells between 8 to 10 gowns per day, and sales rose last Monday to 150 gowns, including 3 similar to Messi's high-end bisht, which was woven from Japanese cotton and embroidered with German golden threads. And its price is about 2000 euros.

Tonight, Messi is the groom in the Qatari Bisht 🇶🇦🙋 ♂️ # Qatar 2022 |

#World_Cup_Qatar_2022 |

#Argentina_France #WorldCupQatar2022 |

#Qatar2022 |

#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/iuYVdFmfD8

- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) December 18, 2022

"At one point, there were dozens of people waiting in front of the shop. Almost all of them are Argentinians," Ahmed Al-Salem said, while eight supporters of the new world champions were taking pictures while wearing bisht and holding a copy of the trophy.

Fans still flock to his shop today, Tuesday, all saluting the gesture of the Emir of Qatar.

Mauricio Garcia, who came to try on the dress - but its price exceeded his means - commented, "We were all happy to see that, it was a gift from one prince to another."

The fans of #Argentina accept to wear the "bisht" after Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani gave the Argentine player Lionel Messi the Qatari uniform during his coronation in the 2022 World Cup final pic.twitter.com/CRLJ9A0xqI

– Al Jazeera Sports (@AJASports) December 20, 2022

"honor and appreciation"

Ahmed Al-Salem explains that "when a sheikh dresses someone in a bisht (traditionally worn by men at weddings, graduation ceremonies and official occasions in many Gulf countries), this means honoring and appreciating him."

For her part, Carol Gomez, a researcher in sociology at the University of Lausanne, believes that "from a communicative point of view, it will be very important, because we know to what degree these images are preserved and rebroadcast."

Ahmed Al-Salem watched the Argentine national team defeat its French counterpart in a cafe near his store, after he handed over the World Cup Organizing Committee two glasses on the measurements of the two national team captains: Argentina's Lionel Messi and France's Hugo Lloris.

Summary of the final match Argentina and France |

Lionel Messi's Argentina wins the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ #Qatar2022 |

#World_Cup_Qatar_2022 |

#Argentina_France #WorldCupQatar2022 |

#Qatar2022 |

#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/PigC07yAL2

- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) December 18, 2022

Al-Salem added, "We did not know who would wear them, and I was stunned" when I saw Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani covering Messi's shoulders with it.

Al-Tajer continues that the members of the "Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy" who placed the order "wanted the lightest and most transparent fabric possible. I was surprised by that, because it is winter, so it seems to me that the goal was to leave the Argentine shirt visible, not to cover it."

Al-Salem Company employs about 60 tailors, and it is the largest among about 5 companies that sew bisht in Qatar.

Each bisht takes about a week to design, and is the result of seven stages, during which different tailors embroider the collar and arms with gold thread.