In 2015, former Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts presented a BBC Radio 1 documentary titled, High Street Hijabis, that uncovered what modest fashion means to young Muslim women, alongside hijabi style vlogger, Nabiilabee.
In the one-off special, Nicola struggled to style Nabiilabee in accordance to the hijabi dress code — think flowy fabrics, loose fits, high necks and low hemlines — with a budget of £100.
Two years on and modest fashion has become one of the fastest growing divisions in the industry, complete with its very own digital style gurus, such as Dina Tokio and Basma K, who have challenged hijabi stereotypes by proving that it’s possible to be covered-up and look chic.
Surprisingly, it’s not just Muslim women who have been influenced by the rise of modest fashion, thanks to mainstream high-street and designer brands who have finally started to capitalise on the value of the Muslim pound. According to the 2015-2016 State of Global Islamic Economy Report, produced by Thomson Reuters in collaboration with Dinar Standard, Muslim consumers spent an estimated $230 billion on clothing, and Muslim women splashed out an approximated $44 billion on modest fashion.
Tying in with its success, Ramadan clothing collections have quickly become a hit on the high street, with brands such as Mango, Zara, DKNY and Tommy Hilfiger upping their modest fashion game with lines that feature traditional abaya — a free-flowing maxi dress — and kaftan silhouettes.
Esteemed Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana got in on the action when it debuted its hijab and abaya ready-to-wear collection in 2016, which was major to say the least, though interestingly received.
London also welcomed its first-ever Modest Fashion Week — powered by Turkish clothing brand Modanisa — at the Muslim Lifestyle Show 2017, where rising hijabi model Halima Aden opened three catwalk shows. Again, major!
With the Islamic holy month of Ramadan 2017 in full swing, it’s great to see that modest women have more choice when it comes to shopping for day-to-day wear or special occasions like Eid.
Where to buy modest fashion
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From: ELLE UK
