Souk al-Hamidiyeh in Damascus is, on the face of it, a standard Middle-Eastern market. But along its lanes is “underwear alley”, a stretch of stores selling some of the most outrageous lingerie in the world. Here you can buy a thong trimmed with a Tweetie Pie on yellow feathers; bra-and-knickers sets with fake birds nestling on the nipple and crotch areas. Even a pair of panties that plays Old MacDonald Had a Farm at the push of a strategically placed button.

These are all examples of “wedding lingerie”, a Syrian phenomenon and a fast-growing industry there. It developed out of the economic boom after the Yom Kippur war in 1973, and has since become a crucial part of the wedding-night ritual for Muslims in Syria and nearby countries. Mothers of brides and husbands-to-be stock up on up to 30 outfits at a time, for a naughty-but-nice trousseau. Women buy it for themselves, to try to stop their men straying. Husbands buy it for their wives – or lovers.

The lingerie, which costs from $10 per set, symbolises a rite-of-passage for the women from virginity to respectable married womanhood. It is a working-class tradition – rich and executive Syrian women see it as being “Sha’abi”, or rather vulgar – and it’s mostly designed and sold by men, though it’s normal to see Syrian Muslim women in the hijab buying it. Not that they’d try it on in the shop. They look at displays or photos in catalogues, all modelled by eastern European women; their poses are meant to be sweet and demure rather than raunchy – as if a maiden aunt went a bit too far at a tarts-and-vicars party. While some items might seem tacky or comical to our eyes, others are beautiful, arty, collectable.

Edible underwear in fruit and coffee flavours are a big hit. Depending on demand from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, companies in Damascus produce an estimated 20,000 G-strings stuffed inside a chocolate heart each month.

It is extraordinary that this deeply religious and conservative society is producing such saucy and explicit underwear. But, according to Rana Salam, co-author with Malu Halasa of a new book on the lingerie, Islamic society in Syria is far from prudish, and men and women have open discussions about sex: “Syrians are known for being direct about sexual matters, and they love to laugh about it, too,” she says. Women in Syria are also by no means the most restricted in the Arab world: they have good jobs, go to university and can make their own decisions.

While researching the book, Salam, who was raised in Lebanon, found that the lingerie was considered a treat, for both sexes. “It’s all about fantasy,” she says. “For the woman, it can spell freedom: it says it’s okay to experiment with your husband, so the man benefits too.”

It’s doing what it says on the packet – aiming to seduce – while conveying a deeper social message. “It’s saying that these people have fun and joy in their lives,” she says, “and the Middle East isn’t all just about war and repression.”

The Secret Life of Syrian Lingerie, by Malu Halasa and Rana Salam (Chronicle Books, £14.99), is available at the BooksFirst price of £13.49, including postage and packing. Telephone: 0870 165 8585

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