Summary: Modest fashion is making a way within the mainstream fashion industry
Source: Huff Post UK
writer: Marlya Zaman
From Istanbul to London and Dubai to New York, in the last decade, the modest fashion industry is beginning to gain recognition by mainstream brands in the West. After the world’s largest online modest fashion retailer, Modanisa debuted their annual fashion week in Istanbul last year, London Modest Fashion Week (LMFW) hit the catwalks at Olympia London during the Easter weekend last month.
LMFW unified leading global influencers including the first hijab-wearing IMG model, Halima Aden, opening the first show of the weekend.
Aden felt that the modest fashion industry “is breaking stereotypes because a lot of people think Muslim women are somehow weak and submissive or oppressed and that’s the complete opposite. Look at all these female designers who are rocking it in this business and are entrepreneurs who work so hard, and look at all these beautiful models that were here today. All of them are very strong women and I think that if more people see that side of Muslim women, it can only be good for us.”
Head of Marketing for Modanisa.com, Selvi Esenkal explained the challenge of having to cater for such a diverse range of consumers, “we sell to over 75 countries worldwide such as the Middle-East where women’s hijab styles are more open to showing their hair, whilst in Turkey the styles are more conservative so women will wear a bonnet underneath to ensure their hair is fully covered…it can be hard and difficult to offer and meet the needs of every woman…which is why it’s important to have insights from local designers in that area, to be able to suit the needs of Muslim women in that area.”
Read the full story @ Huff Post UK