Modest fashion: from the hottest trends to the coolest brands, here’s everything you need to know

In the early 2000s, modest fashion emerged as a new term to describe the style preferences of women who choose to cover for religious or personal reasons. Since then, a lot has happened.

Modest fashion has grown into one of the most in-demand sectors and is currently valued at $277 billion and is estimated to reach $311 billion by 2024, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/1. Major labels such as Louis Vuitton and Max Mara have released modest collections during Ramadan and Eid to diversify their audience and tap into the Muslim pound.

The latest trends appeared at Modest Fashion Week shows in London, Istanbul, Dubai and, more recently, Riyadh – more notably, we witnessed fashion’s first hijabi model, Halima Aden, reach supermodel status before quitting modelling in 2021 because she felt it compromised her religious beliefs. Halima is now back in the fashion industry, on her own terms, but essential conversations around what modest fashion actually looks like were sparked.

So, what is modest fashion?

While the look and feel of modest fashion can vary from person to person, it generally refers to wearing less revealing clothing – think higher necklines, long-sleeve shirts, looser cuts and free-flowing silhouettes. 

Some modest dressers may consider covering their bodies from head to toe as the standard, whereas others may have more of a relaxed approach. “Modest Fashion to me is dressing in a way that doesn’t show your body shape or skin,” says fashion and beauty influencer Nasra Salah @sailingnas.

“A lot of people limit modest fashion to Muslim women, but I know many non-Muslim women that choose to dress modestly too,” she adds. “Breaking into the fashion industry and having to explain to people my boundaries as a Muslim woman – in terms of what I can and can’t wear is never easy – and it’s always interesting to hear their responses,” says fashion content creator, Aisha A @aishaxahmada. “I think representation is important because it gives those who might not have someone to look up to a confidence boost to be able to wear what they like and switch up their style while sticking to their modest boundaries,” she adds.