modest fashion

Nemahsis releases debut single, “What if I Took it off for You?”

Nemahsis releases debut single, “What if I Took it off for You?”

Furvah Sayda
Modest fashion blogger and musician, Nemah Hassan (better known as Nemahsis) released her much-anticipated debut single, What if I Took it Off For You? on June 23, and we have had it on repeat ever since. The Canadian-born Muslim has been an OG of the online, modest fashion community since she began posting her outfits on Instagram in 2016, and has since amassed a loyal following of 139K followers on Instagram and 346K on TikTok. Her striking, edgy style that plays with layers and fabrics has been providing us with outfit inspiration for many years, but now, she is turning…
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Meet rising modest model Balqees Momodu

Meet rising modest model Balqees Momodu

Zainab Husain
Balqees Momodu (@ballymomodu) is on a mission to make a name for herself as a modest, hijab-wearing model in the fashion industry. In an exclusive interview with modestish, the aspiring Nigerian model, who is signed to Astria Models, talks about what inspired her to take on the modest lifestyle and what one trend she will never try (hint: you can guess this one!) 1.What attracts you to the idea of dressing modestly? Any personal turning point in your life that inspired you to embark on a more modest lifestyle? Firstly, it is the decree of the Almighty. Secondly, Do you…
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Sport sleek, surf-inspired swimwear by Shelline

Sport sleek, surf-inspired swimwear by Shelline

Zainab Husain
Shellíne is a modest surf/swimsuit brand created by Sabina and based in Russia. The designs are minimalist and eclectic. They have swimsuits with a diverse collection of patterns that will suit anyone’s vibe and, and if you ask us, Shellíne is definitely a modest swimwear brand to keep on your radar. For quite some time, the swimsuit industry only catered towards a specific demographic, excluded consumers who didn't fit into that "beach babe" aesthetic. Shellíne, however, is transforming how we view swimsuits and modesty. Read our interview with Sabina below: When did you launch your brand, and what was the…
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See our 2021 Eid Al Fitr campaign

See our 2021 Eid Al Fitr campaign

modestish
In a creative collaboration with Tania’s Teahouse and UAE boutiques Sauce and Zayan The Label, modestish releases its Eid-themed campaign, which features delectable Ramadan edibles and equally-covetable wearables for Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that concludes the Islamic Holy month of Ramadan. Follow Dubai-based fashion influencer and marketing executive Heba Qadeer as she counts down to her final Iftar of the season, robed in luxe resort wear from Zayan The Label. The new-season dresses and kaftans with intricate sleeve detailing are further decorated with statement jewels from Sauce boutiques and Sauce Rocks. Evil eye beads sit atop sea-shell charms, while freshwater…
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How Modernest is making modest shopping easier

How Modernest is making modest shopping easier

modestish
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,…
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PrettyLittleThing launches in Saudi Arabia

PrettyLittleThing launches in Saudi Arabia

modestish
Following it's Middle East debut, PrettyLittleThing has launched a dedicated website for its customers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new platform, ar.prettylittlething.sa, is a user-friendly Arabic website containing a whole new collection of modest offerings that don't fail to impress! With a dedicated Ramadan edit brimming with modest fashion, it's clear that the UK-based e-tailer has put together new offerings with its Middle Eastern clientele in mind. Long, monochrome shirt-dresses for instance, appear to be an androgynous nod to the cultural silhouette of the thobe, and can be made more feminine with the addition of a statement belt,…
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10 dreamy designs from Net-a-Porter’s Ramadan edit

10 dreamy designs from Net-a-Porter’s Ramadan edit

Zainab Husain
Consistently on top of the Ramadan fashion game with curated designer edits and exclusive collaborations for the Muslim Holy Month year after year, Net-a-Porter has yet again unveiled a spectacular style line-up for Ramadan 2021, which begins this week. "Designs reflect the needs of the local customer, whose searches for maxi and midi dresses increase by 80% during the Ramadan period," states a press release from Net-a-Porter. The campaign launch comes shortly after the luxury e-tailer unveiled a new localised platform in Arabic for its Middle East consumers, with personal shopping services dedicated to consumers in the Arab world. Renowned…
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Celine Fathelbab on balancing comfort and glamour

Celine Fathelbab on balancing comfort and glamour

Amenah Alkhazraji
“Muslim, hijabi, model, full-time student and a rising influencer.” That’s how 20-year-old pre-med student Celine Fathelbab describes herself. With a mission to portray and demonstrate modest fashion to Muslim and non-Muslim women, the Egyptian-American stylist says that “you're allowed to be proud of [modesty] and not feel like you have to change yourself to fit a style, and that your choice for a career does not limit you and the other things you love.” Struggles with identity while wearing the hijab at a young age led Celine to the world of social media and modest fashion. “I felt like I…
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Modesty in bloom: see our first cover shoot

Modesty in bloom: see our first cover shoot

modestish
When Khaleej Times, a Middle East newspaper, approached modestish to produce the cover feature for its weekly WKND magazine supplement, there was no way we could turn down the opportunity — especially since the feature would be centered on Muslim Women's Day, with a special focus on hijabi creatives on social media. https://youtu.be/PI29z7G12mk Our stars for the day were makeup artist Mehreen Mughal, model and photographer Salima Alaoui, lifestyle blogger Nida Siddiq, modest fashion influencer and founder of Modesteen, Hanan Houachmi and modest-inclusive fashion designer Safiya Abdallah. Dressed in new pieces from the Iris and Ink spring/summer 2021 collection at…
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Fashion wish list: this shimmery set by Nanushka at Shopbop

Fashion wish list: this shimmery set by Nanushka at Shopbop

modestish
Matching sets and co-ords were one of last winter's most-loved trends, even if they were primarily worn as #WFH athleisure. But as vaccine rates across the globe rise, and as we increasingly venture outdoors, we suspect matching sets will remain key style staples, especially as we transition into spring. Our predictions put loose and roomy silhouettes at the forefront of the trend, in a palette of neutral and earthy tones. https://www.instagram.com/p/CK9VZeUDEks/ For us, this set by Nanushka, available online at Shopbop, epitomises spring/summer 2021 fashion. Stylish and incredibly versatile, the set is from the brand's Resort 2021 collection, which takes…
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“Modesty isn’t just for women”- meet Mohamed Sharif

“Modesty isn’t just for women”- meet Mohamed Sharif

Sahira Raja
Mohamed Sharif (@theswolearab on Instagram) is on a mission to bring modest menswear to the forefront of the modest fashion movement, which has been typically dominated by women. The 25-year-old male blogger and fitness coach uses his platform to show that you you can be male, modest, and fashionable — he is part of a growing movement of Muslim male influencers who are helping to highlight and destigmatise male modesty. “I think whilst modest fashion isn’t new, you often find its dominated by Muslim women," says Mohamed. "I learned in my faith that modesty isn’t just for women. So, as…
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See part 2 Of our first modestish campaign shoot

See part 2 Of our first modestish campaign shoot

modestish
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKqCzmGHKog Last month, we set out to produce our inaugural fashion campaign for Modestish, starring Junaynah and Engy Mahdy. Monochrome tones formed the palette for the second part of our shoot, in a mixture of leather textures, utilitarian silhouettes and pops of geometric and snakeskin prints. See how our muses styled the designs from Mango, Iris & Ink, One and Four Studio (Engy’s own label), Prettty Little Thing and Karl Lagerfeld: Engy wears: blouse and blazer by One and Four Studio, dress by Mango. Junaynah wears: bodysuit by Pretty Little Thing, jumpsuit by Mango Engy wears: blouse and blazer by One and Four…
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See “Behind the Veyla”: a mesmerising Marseille shoot

See “Behind the Veyla”: a mesmerising Marseille shoot

modestish
In a town in the South of France, a nation with a complicated history when it comes to headscarves, young photographer Yosra Farrouj conceptualised a photo shoot for Marseille modest wear label Zozoliina, that would turn the symbol of the headscarf on its head Titled "Behind the Veyla", her shoot in collaboration with Zozoliina features striking images of a group of young women robed in traditional kaftans and billowing floral face veils, topped with bucket hats, baseball caps and beanies. The stage? A community basketball court, bordered by graffiti-emblazoned walls and towering apartment buildings. The setting and styling combine to…
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Watch this sneak peek of our modestish x Puma shoot

Watch this sneak peek of our modestish x Puma shoot

modestish
Part of our long-term plan at modestish is to work with global retailers and brands to produce shoots that feature their latest collections with a modestish twist. We're beyond thrilled to announce that our first brand collaboration is with leading athleisure brand Puma. See how our models, Sadaf and Salima, each style the label's latest International Game Collection, which landed in stores in February 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nV5vvR-fDo Credits: Models: Sadaf and Salima Makeup: Rawan Kassem Location: Project Chaiwala at Alserkal Avenue Creative Direction: Hafsa Lodi / Modestish Photography & Videography: Qash Abbas Production: Broomstick Creative Fashion Assistant: Zainab Husain The International Game collection is available at Puma…
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Welcome to modestish: a letter from the editor

Welcome to modestish: a letter from the editor

Hafsa Lodi
Happy February, and Welcome to Modestish. My name is Hafsa Lodi, and I’m an author, journalist and stylist with a keen interest in the evolution of modesty in fashion. When my nonfiction book, Modesty: A Fashion Paradox launched almost exactly a year ago, it was a bittersweet moment. On one hand, my work was finally out in the world, available to buy, and accessible to interested readers across the globe. On the other hand, launching in the middle of the pandemic proved extremely challenging, book tours and events for the year were cancelled, and I had to lean heavily on…
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See part 1 of our first Modestish campaign shoot

See part 1 of our first Modestish campaign shoot

modestish
Earlier this month, we set out to produce our inaugural fashion campaign for Modestish, starring Junaynah and Engy Mahdy. In uplifting hues of lilac and mint green, with pink-toned textures and head-to-toe sequins, new designs from Mango, Iris & Ink, One and Four Studio (Engy's own label), and Doppelganger emanate an unmistakable air of optimism for the season ahead. See the shoot below: Junaynah wears dress by Iris & Ink at The Outnet. Engy wears skirt, top and jacket by One and Four Studio Engy wears skirt by Iris & Ink at The Outnet, collar insert by ASOS, jacket by…
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Watch this sneak peek of our first fashion campaign

Watch this sneak peek of our first fashion campaign

modestish
Earlier this month, we set out to produce our inaugural fashion campaign for Modestish, starring Junaynah and Engy Mahdy. In uplifting hues of lilac and mint green, with pink-toned textures and head-to-toe sequins, new designs from Mango, Iris & Ink, Madiyah Al Sharqi, Doppelganger and One and Four Studio (Engy's own label) emanate an optimistic outlook for the season ahead. See the teaser video below and stay tuned for the full shoot! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xveRmVoINUI Credits: Starring: Engy Mahdy and Junaynah El Guthmy Makeup: Sarah Sequeiria Location: Caya at Town Square Creative Direction: Hafsa Lodi / Modestish Photography & Videography: Qash Abbas…
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This Aussie brand specialises in hijab-friendly hats

This Aussie brand specialises in hijab-friendly hats

modestish
“Product development and innovation is on the rise,” according to the 2020 State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, and Australian fashion label, Jamela Boutique, which specialises in hijab-friendly hats, exemplifies this thriving niche in the realm of modest fashion. The brand was founded by Melbourne-based Seher Istar, who is a completely self-taught designer and entrepreneur with a background in pharmaceutical sciences. She's also the author of One Year Vegan - a vegan recipe book. “Unfortunately mainstream hats are only designed to fit woman who don’t wear anything above their heads. Current hats on the market are meant to only…
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Bahja Kadir on lipgloss, leathers and positive thinking

Bahja Kadir on lipgloss, leathers and positive thinking

Zainab Husain
Bahja Kadir (@bmullaa on Instagram) is an 18-year-old hijabi fashion influencer from London with a Somali background, and her Instagram feed stands out as an exciting combination of street style and class. In a special interview with Modestish, she tells us about her fashion and beauty favourites (spoliers: faux leather and lipgloss!), discusses her thoughts on the power of positive thinking, and tells us there is one empowering piece of cloth in her closet that she has no plans of parting with. How has shopping for modest fashion changed over the past decade, in your experience? For me, shopping for…
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A hijabi stars in this The North Face X Gucci shoot

A hijabi stars in this The North Face X Gucci shoot

Hafsa Lodi
Is that a hijabi I see, standing front and center in this new campaign image celebrating Gucci’s collaboration with The North Face? It sure is.  Not only is her hair covered, but the model’s skin is a glorious tone of dark brown – and only after these two visual cues register, do my eyes move on to devour the eclectic fashion feast that’s pictured in the photograph: an array of quilted coats flaunting colourful geometric patterns, with abstract depictions of the brand’s iconic GG logo. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ8bWXPMLKL/ The image is just one of many from HighSnobiety’s spectacular sponsored Gucci collaboration with…
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