The rise of ‘modest fashion’ in Asia and the design labels to know
updated the 7 November 2017 à 09:53
‘Modest style’ is one of fashion’s fastest growing sectors, especially in Asia.
As it turns out, Muslim fashion is one of fashion’s fastest growing sectors, estimated to be worth a whooping $200billion by 2020. This is monumental considering that, at one point, the idea of ‘modest Muslim fashion’ was almost unfathomable – calling to mind images of black burqas and nothing else. However, things appear to be changing – fast.
This past spring, Vanessa Friedman, The New York Times chief fashion critic, declared ‘modest fashion’ (or ‘modest-wear’) a defining trend of 2010s. Asia, in particular, is witness to the surge in modest fashion. In the recent 2017 edition of Singapore Fashion Week (SGFW), modest fashion took centrestage at the Modestyle.asia showcase, an online portal of modest womenswear labels, featuring an array of womenswear fashion labels from across Asia (like Bangladesh’s La Reve, Indonesia’s Dian Pelangi, China’s Tasmiah) and the Middle East. Even the biggest names in Asia’s e-commerce scene like Zalora has its own in-house modest label called Zalia; Fashion Valet, run by hijab-clad business mogul Vivy Yusoff has also attracted a cult fashion following among Malaysia’s fashion savvy Muslims.
Globally, Dolce & Gabbana released their highly talked about abaya collection (i.e. the loose, full-length robes often sported by Muslim women) in 2016, closely followed by Uniqlo’s own line of hijabs designed by Hana Tajima. London also hosted its own Modest Fashion Week earlier this year, in partnership with Modanisa, Istanbul-based modest fashion online destination that carries both luxury and non-luxury labels.
No doubt, the driving force behind the unprecedented rise of modest wear in mainstream fashion has largely to do with the purchasing power and increased visibility of Muslim women across the world. However, with celebrities like Nigella Lawson spotted wearing a ‘burkini’, and fashion’s return to embracing higher necklines and longer hemlines (case in point: Erdem x H&M), it suggests that perhaps modest fashion is not just for Muslims or women of faith and has in fact a far more broader appeal.
In our gallery above, we’ve curated our favourite modest fashion labels and brands to keep on your radar, and where you can get your modest style clothing items from in the region.
Sarah Khan
Read More:
Close the Loop: H&M’s diverse cast in latest ad campaign includes a hijab-wearer
7 Utterly Instagram-worthy Halal breakfast and brunch cafes in Singapore
Beauty Junkie: 7 Halal makeup brands you should definitely check out
