What is "modest fashion" and why is it becoming popular all over the world

The fashion trend, known as Modest fashion, or "modest fashion", is associated by many with the wardrobe of Muslim women. Hijab, abaya and other things from the arsenal of Arab fashionistas may seem dull and inexpressive to many women, and therefore uninteresting. Until recently, this was the case, but now "modest fashion" is developing at such a pace that it will no longer be possible to ignore it.

What is modern "modest fashion"? First of all, these are things that hide the naked body and figure flaws. But why do world-renowned designers waste time and effort on those who deliberately drive themselves into a rigid framework and limit their choice of clothes as much as possible?

But today, the trend of Modest fashion has left the borders of conservative countries and religious communities and is vigorously marching around the world. 2016 can be called a turning point for modest fashion, when such clothes were first talked about not from the point of view of religion, but in connection with the intensification of feminist protests and the #MeToo movement.

The main fans of this style of clothing are girls who are trying to get rid of such an annoying phenomenon as male gaze. This concept refers to the representation of women in art, including cinema, in the form of sexual objects accessible to men. So we can confidently say that modest fashion is not only a style of clothing, but also a kind of movement that has a pronounced social connotation.

Now the popularity of modest fashion is being fueled by millionaire bloggers from Instagram and fashion houses popularizing modesty in women's clothing. The number of adherents of this style is growing rapidly. The British company Edited conducted analytical studies that showed that since 2017 alone, the demand for modest fashion outside the Arab countries has grown by a solid 15%.

At the latest shows, fashion houses Gucci, Dior, Iceberg, Jil Sander demonstrated their collections in the style of modest fashion. This means that modest fashion was not a fleeting phenomenon and, if the giants of the industry got involved, it will be further developed.

Another positive thing is that the designers who create longsleeves and midi skirts are back in business and have received an extensive grateful audience around the world. An accurate analysis of the market for such clothes has not yet been carried out, but it is already known that by 2021 only women from Islamic countries will spend more than $ 368 billion on modest styles of clothing.

Sports brands are not lagging behind everyone. In particular, Nike has already introduced the Pro Hijab line designed for Muslim athletes, and DKNY, Tommy Hilfiger, Oscar de la Renta, Zara and Mango have offered limited-edition series of special women's clothes, timed to coincide with the beginning of Ramadan.

Items from Nike's Pro Hijab sports collection

Girls in hijabs began to appear more and more often in advertising. H&M and Gloria Jeans have created an extensive public response by including in their large-scale advertising campaigns girls in traditional Muslim clothing.

Suddenly it turned out that modest fashion is not boring at all and does not limit women in their choice at all. Turbans, gaudet skirts, multi—layered outfits, bright elegant dresses, turtlenecks, tunics, jackets, marlene trousers and even denim clothes - all this perfectly combines with the image of a modern fashionable modesty.

This also applies to accessories. A lot of space is open for designers of eyeglass frames, bags and, of course, shoes. It turned out that working with things of modest fashion is not so easy, and therefore it is very interesting — the designer requires maximum creativity and resourcefulness.There are famous supporters of the new fashion trend all over the world, but it is not surprising that the first here are Instagram bloggers from Arab countries. The most famous popularizers of the style are Dubai residents Anum Bashir, with her blog Desert Mannequin and Instagram star Lina Liuti. It is worth remembering the Algerian video blogger Nabiila Bi, whose videos on YouTube collect 16 million views.

One of the fashionable bows of Anum Bashir

Interestingly, modest fashion is gradually becoming the style of quite successful businesswomen. In 2019, The Modist boutique opened, which became an analogue of the Net-a-Porter online store, but with an emphasis on the special decency of clothing. Now the store is ready to offer items from about 150 brands, including Mary Katranzou, Marni and Emilia Wickstead.

The store was founded by 41-year-old Algerian Ghizlan Guenez, who is well versed in modern fashion trends. According to the publication The Business of Fashion, this woman is in the top 500 people who have a direct impact on world fashion.

But not everything is so simple in the turbulent world of fashion. Along with hijabs and floor-length skirts, less modest garments also come to the women's wardrobe.