As Muslims, the term “modest fashion” is not one that is new to our ears having to constantly struggle to maintain the modesty that is required in our dressing at the same time also not sacrificing the ‘fashion’ aspect. Brands and boutiques that catered to our needs were not easy to come by and we had to shop smartly looking for modest pieces or ones that can be easily modified without completely ruining the look. For inspiration we looked towards Hijabi and Modest fashion bloggers, who have since then become all the rage, growing mass followings and serving as our fashion gurus.
It seems the rest of the world has caught on and recognized the niche of modest dressers, which needless to say aren’t just Muslim women and have taken measures to address us. New clothing brands have emerged catering to the modest market. Popular established clothing lines and high-end brands are not to be left behind with Uniqlo teaming up with fashion designer Hana Tajima releasing a collection of hijabs and abayas and Tommy Hilfiger releasing one-off modest collections during Ramadhan and Eid. Also, who can forget when Dolce and Gabbana launched a permanent range of hijabs and abayas? That’s when it hit me, modest fashion is now considered “cool”!
Alhamdulillah for this new era we’re in. However, I think it comes with a price. When I heard of D&G’s abaya and hijab collection I felt quite pensive, a luxury high-end brand designing abayas? For sure this collection would not come cheap. The average cost for good quality abayas from other clothing companies by itself makes you spend a substantial amount and here we have luxury abayas being thrown into the mix.
The cost to dress modestly and appropriately is getting ridiculous, from abayas to hijabs. I applaud designers for coming out with stylish creations for the modern modest dresser but how wide must one open their wallets? I have never been a fan of designer items when I know I can get a product of the same quality for approximately half the price.
Yes, we want to dress modestly and still look stylish but what price is that going to cost us. The modest fashion industry shouldn’t turn out like the mainstream industry. We need to remember why we dress modestly and for whom. It shouldn’t lead us to a stage where we start gloating over who’s wearing so and so’s newest hijab collection and who’s not. Just as women pay an arm and a leg to get hold of a Gucci bag I pray we won’t be seeing Muslim women doing the same for modest clothing.
All this is to earn God’s favour for the hereafter; brand names shouldn’t matter, for with the prices they sell by I might as well be buying a ticket to Jannah.
