Paving Way To A Modest Revolution

Blurring the lines between comfort and chic, modest fashion has successfully allowed its audience to create a lifestyle adhering to their requirements without compromising on style. Not limited to Muslims or those wearing a hijab, the versatility of the term modesty has now achieved a relatable factor amongst many, effectively expanding its demographics and becoming a prominent trend on its own.

Even though this concept has been around for a while, modest fashion has recently occupied a front row seat in mainstream media. With consumer spending increasing, the modest wear industry is said to reach around US$ 322 billion dollars in the coming years. Tapping into this phenomenon is Islamic Fashion and Design Council (IFDC,) providing a platform for key players, designers and institutions to reach their audience on a much larger scale and help the industry grow. With offices currently in 9 countries: UAE, USA, UK, Italy, South Africa, Turkey, Russia, Canada, Pakistan, and soon to be in Malaysia and Indonesia, IFDC is the world’s leading modest fashion and design council representing the Islamic economy and its stakeholders. Supplying exposure to professionals and new talent, IFDC aims to ensure their success in the global marketplace. It provides various products, services and training programs on all levels, facilitating key players to gain access to this growing industry. To learn more about what they offer you can visit their website at www.ifdcouncil.org. The objectives outlined above were successfully showcased through Prêt-a-Cover Buyers Lane- A Modest Revolution, a one of a kind fashion and design event held by IFDC in Dubai at City Walk from 28th March till 2nd of April, 2018.

Walking towards the location, you are instantly greeted with pop-up shops on either of your sides leading to the main area.  Over 30 Muslim-friendly and modest fashion designers and artists had their work exhibited, from haute couture and prêt-a-porter to mainstream street fashion, beauty, and accessories. The pop-up shops were created in a way where you got to interact with designers and connect on a more personal level. Breaking the norm of a traditional catwalk show, designers instead had their collections presented through short videos projected on huge screens at the central fountain. This was done to provide a more immersive experience for the viewers rather than being passive spectators and encourage them to further engage with the designers. The fusion of technology, fashion and contemporary style allowed this event to stand out from the rest offering a more progressive approach and new ideas for business development.

The participants of this show were a mix of both international and regional, with some very exciting brands coming forward. To name a few: Under-Râpt, a UK athleisure brand creates comfortable modest exercise attire, giving stiff competition to its counterparts; Blue meets Blue, a street wear brand from USA that also helps refugees settle in the US by providing them with jobs and training− fashion with a cause; Laurafed brought forth unique designs of bags and accessories by mixing various elements together; Italian designer, Isabella Caposanno’s breathtaking dresses with the tiniest details; and UAE’s own, The Modist, an e-commerce luxury website, held its own presence at the show.

The event, free to the public, gathered itself many viewers including various fashion bloggers and influencers. Amidst them was Alia Khan, the founder and chairwoman of IFDC, running about in her stunning pink gown, ensuring smooth operation of the event. Raised in Canada and USA, Alia has been experimenting with fashion ever since. Through her experience and successful implementation of different marketing and media programs on an international level and later further pursuing Islamic Studies, she quickly identified the void in the Islamic fashion and art industry and set out to bridge the gaps. Along with her philanthropic work, Alia is also a motivational speaker teaching the art of success and through IFDC runs a personal development course. Now based in Dubai and running IFDC, Alia has taken numerous strides to bring modest fashion and its players into the limelight. We got a chance to speak to her regarding the event and the modest revolution movement.

Can you tell us about your journey into modest fashion and when did you realize its potential?

Modest fashion is a very natural inclination for most of us. I think it just wasn’t being realised as that. And I think there is a very interesting case study here. If you look at modest fashion, it has been around here since the beginning of time. It is here to stay. It has been one of the most prominent lifestyles and it will be forever. When you usually make a commitment it’s for a higher reason, we do it for a lifetime.  So there is something to be said on a business level with that. So now you’re talking about a very loyal audience. And I think the question for retailers and designers is what are you going to do with this audience? What are you going to do that is going to make you connect with a dream audience that will keep turning to you if you can prove that you understand them. I think it’s amazing. It’s an exciting time for modest fashion.

If you look at modest fashion, it has been around here since the beginning of time. It is here to stay. It has been one of the most prominent lifestyles and it will be forever.

How did Islamic Fashion and Design come into being?

At some point, I realised there is no council, there is no agency or organisation that is bringing together a mammoth of an industry and all it needs is a platform to support and develop the industry and the industry players. We have been doing this through many initiatives. It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of effort but the results are amazing.

Since starting IFDC, how has the response been and how much has the industry evolved?

Well, you can see it around you. Pullman hotel has been one of our partners for a lot of initiatives in the past few years and they keep coming back strong. Burgundy interiors did all the design and the furnishings and you can see the uniqueness that they put into the event. We have got Nari Skincare, the world’s first halal luxury skincare line, and she’s creating quite a trail for herself. So, each one of these companies and organisations have such a unique story and I think it is overwhelming and humbling to see how they have gotten behind us for something like this. I am deeply honoured.

Is modest fashion still considered a niche market or has it fully stepped into the mainstream? 

It crosses over in a beautiful way where it’s natural. A lot of people don’t even realise they tend to have modest inclinations on certain occasions and they do it naturally. We like to keep it natural. I don’t think we want to bring a weird awareness to it; we just want to keep it normal as it has been.

Can we be looking forward to IFDC in Pakistan?

We are coming to Pakistan. Pakistan has no choice. I think people don’t really appreciate the market that Pakistan is and we don’t really appreciate the character of the people. Even for the no-hijab culture, you have got a very big modest audience. The modest lifestyle brings a specific character which is warmth, which is loyal, and that’s something really worth tapping into. I am excited to see what we drum up there.

Any message for your consumers?

Just keep it real. Honestly, be yourself when you dress anyway and keep it real.