It goes without saying that modest fashion bloggers are now all over social media. But while they may have massive followings, many times, the outfits that they post are inaccessible or unaffordable for many of the women who draw inspiration from these influencers, and at other times, the fashion is simply not tagged. Enter Modernest – a new online platform that creates looks inspired by popular modest fashion bloggers’ outfit posts, complete with shoppable links so that followers can get their modest fashion fixes easily, seamlessly and immediately. We caught up with the founder of Modernest, Dubai-based, Musfira S. Suleman, to get to know more about her journey and vision:
1. How did you come up with the idea and concept for Modernest?
The vision which is now Modernest was something I have had since I was 16 years old. Being a modest fashion consumer myself, I was often left frustrated on my shopping trips to the mall as I struggled to find outfits that were trendy but at the same time modest, not to mention layering didn’t make it any easier in UAE’s weather.
Moreover, every time I got excited about modest fashion lines being introduced, I was left disappointed as they were misinterpreted with cultural attire.
Musfira S. Suleman
The frustration and the battle between wanting to dress modestly but not finding stylish outfits made me very keen in doing something to address the issue. As the years went by, the idea kept evolving, some day it was a private label in my favorite mall, and other days it was a customization service and so much more. Eventually, during the 24-hours lockdown, courtesy of Covid-19, with all these thoughts, spare time and nowhere to go, I decided to take matters in my own hands instead of patiently waiting for someone to address this issue persistent in the market and draft up a business plan for my dream concept. I was very fortunate to be an employee of The Chalhoub Group which has an incubator program for their employees called the Ibtikar Program, and although it felt like a long shot in the dark at that time, I knew I had nothing to lose if I submitted my idea and thankfully, it all worked out
2. What is the gap in the market that you hope Modernest will fill?
As we know, modest fashion is no longer an alien term. Most brands have incorporated a modest capsule of some sort over the years. Nonetheless, they haven’t hit the nail right in the head just yet.
Majority of them translate Modest Fashion to the Arab and/or Asian cultural attire when in fact modest fashion consumers aren’t looking for their cultural attire in international brand’s labels. Not to mention most of these exclusive collections are only available in Ramadan leaving very limited variety for the remaining 11 months of the year.
musfira s. suleman
Furthermore, the current market is very fragmented. I believe I speak on behalf of everyone when I say that the only thing achieved on most shopping trips to the mall is the daily steps target walking from one store to another trying to put together a modest outfit.
Modernest dreams big. It doesn’t just aim to amend the misinterpretation of what “modest fashion” means, but rather aims to introduce a whole new term which is “Modernest fashion.” What is Modernest fashion? It is the long-awaited simple solution – merely regular outfits seen in the mainstream market with looser fittings, longer hem lines, opaque fabric and more. Additionally, Modernest aims to be a platform where women from all walks of life come together and are able to share and celebrate their love for the art of modest fashion. It aspires to be a brand that guides consumers to make any piece of clothing modest with the right styling and paves the way for women who prefer to dress modestly to express themselves through their wardrobe.
3. What do you look for in prospective “squad” members?
When it comes to The Modernest Squad, there is no pre-requisite requirement. At Modernest we believe that the only person that can define what modesty means to you is none other but you. Having said that, the only thing we look for is the passion towards modest fashion and the enthusiasm of belonging to this beautiful community that shares a common interest and has come together to celebrate and support each other.
4. The clothing that you link to is often not the same pieces the influencer is wearing – how do you source these alternative shopping options? Do you do them all yourself or do you have a team in place?
Modernest is currently creating a Social Shopping Platform where we link the pieces the influencer is wearing to similar items. We are not sponsoring any particular brand as of now but rather pushing outfits as a whole and advocating people who put together pieces to make a modest yet fashionable outfit. Moving forward, our next move is to scout for more Squad Members and potentially have a team of stylists on board who are able to provide the modest fashion styling guidance that is quite scarce in today’s market. Currently, we are a very small team and are pretty much doing most things on our own. In terms of choosing the looks and putting together the pieces, I personally assess and pick out the similar items from a few go-to trusted brands to ensure that our consumers are receiving the treatment and care they truly deserve.
5. Which category of outfits do you think will be most popular? Street style, 9 to 6 life, etc?
Personally, I wouldn’t be able to single out a category. I believe a person can be so many things throughout the day. They can be a boss lady in the morning wearing outfits from the 9 to 6 life category and by the evening, they could be out on a dinner with their friends looking fabulous whilst wearing outfits inspired by the Glam it up category. Not to mention, on weekends, they could be wearing outfits from the minimum effort, street style or comfy meets chic solely based on their mood.
Hence, the lines are rather blurry for various consumers. For instance, it is acceptable in most companies to dress smart casual and wear jeans to work so they could very well be shopping for office wear from the minimum effort category. In addition, post quarantine, it has sort of become socially acceptable to wear pieces that resemble loungewear outside the comfort zone of your home which again further blurs the lines. Therefore, Modernest aims to revamp its categories accordingly as trends change.
6. Why should modest fashion enthusiasts visit Modernest to shop their favourite bloggers’ looks as opposed to visiting the bloggers’ independent social media pages?
Modernest is much more than just a marketplace. It is a space where the community comes together to bond over their love for fashion whilst sharing hacks, supporting and celebrating each other. A safe space where no one feels the need to confine to the society’s standard of what modesty should mean. I believe modest fashion enthusiasts would find it convenient to have a one stop destination which is accepting of various definitions of modesty and a platform which curates looks from all their favorite influencers.
