Istanbul Modest Fashion Week focuses on Islamic Dress
Modest fashion represents a growing market with worldwide spending on Muslim clothing projected to grow to $327bn by 2020, and Turkey, with its Islamic traditions and booming textile industry, is uniquely placed to benefit both creatively and commercially. By establishing this Fashion Week, the country seeks to make a name for itself as a creative hotspot for conservative wear around the world.
A poster for the event
The sighting of the new moon on Monday the 6th of June 2016 heralded the start of the Islamic Holy Month of Ramadan, when Muslims across the world fast between sunrise and sunset for a whole lunar month until the new moon appears again.
Eid al-Fitr, “festival of breaking of the fast”, is a joyous holiday of gratitude to Allah celebrated over anything from one to three days. It is customary for families to dress in new (or the best available) clothing before attending prayers at the mosque.
This naturally creates consumer demand for appropriate dress to mark the occasion, so it is no coincidence that the first Istanbul Modest Fashion Week took place in May of this year. Organizers online retailer Modanisa.com in collaboration with the Islamic Fashion and Design Council brought together globally-known designers, most-followed influencers, fashionistas and famous trendsetters to evaluate modest fashion styles from around the world at the Haydarpaşa Station on May 13-14. Seventy designers from across the globe took part in the event, which aims “to create mainstream fashion out of modest fashion and to energize Islamic communities to produce [clothing] for Muslim women”, according to Modanisa CEO Kerim Ture.
Formal wear, bridal wear, leisure wear, and even active and swimwear, Istanbul Modest Fashion Week ticked all the boxes. Here is a selection of what was on offer.
