Modest fashion, or the art of dressing in concealing clothes for religious or stylistic preferences, has been called by experts the “next big fashion movement.” In Islam, modest fashion is associated with conventional garments such as kaftans, hijab (head covering), or abaya (a loose-fitting, full-length garment worn by Muslim women). While this is still a tradition, a younger generation of Muslim women is approaching modest style with a new perspective, which allows them to express their individual preferences and dynamic fashion sense. Vogue Business suggests that this shift in modest dressing codes may be due to social media and a youthful Muslim population. Using clever styling techniques, these days modest dressers create innovative looks by layering and mixing pieces from activewear, contemporary, and high-end fashion brands, for example, wearing a high-waist satin skirt with a cropped, long-sleeved sweater, a sophisticated, luxurious gown with leggings or a pants suit with sneakers.

While African luxury designers aren’t necessarily making clothing specifically for Muslim women, they offer garments that modest women may wear. On the continent, organizations such as Ghana Modest Fashion Week and the Islamic Fashion & Design Council are working to bring modest fashion to new and bigger audiences. Stella Bgegbem, general manager at Ghana Modest Fashion Week, believes there’s still a divide between modest and mainstream fashion. “There’s a gap,” she tells Industrie Africa. “It’s a market we are trying to introduce [to the mainstream]. It’s not yet [fully] established,” she explains. While Bgegbem notes that modest fashion is a relatively small industry, the last few years have introduced many fashion influencers within the modest market. Pushing the boundaries of what modesty can be in the 21st century, these influencers are combining their values with their passion for fashion to create their own powerful personal brands.

Industrie Africa spoke to three rising modest fashion influencers about their style and journey.

Nabilah Kariem 

South Africa

With a background in fashion design and styling, South Africa’s Nabilah Kariem is a full-time fashion influencer who launched her career seven years ago. With 130 000 Instagram followers and appearances on local TV productions and campaigns, she’s known as a trailblazer and one of the leading voices in modest fashion in her home country. Working with her husband, her creative partner, Kariem has collaborated with various brands, including Coach, Armani Beauty, Adidas, and Samsung, and appeared in a Vogue Arabia feature. Naturally drawn to neutral colors and elevated essentials such as knitwear and semi-casual separates, Kariem mixes her love for ultra-feminine, elegant dresses with athleisure pieces and colorful suiting effortlessly, going from an oversized shirt and sleeveless vest to a luxurious, show-stopping gown.

Khadija Mahmoud

Kenya 

Kenyan native Khadija Mahmoud started paying particular attention to and experimenting with her style in 2013, which she says was the first time she wore a headcover. “I didn’t always feel comfortable wearing a hijab, but when I began, it just stuck with me,” she confesses. Mahmoud’s style growing up was “tomboy fashion” of casual, baggy clothes. Her journey as a modest fashion influencer began during her university days. “I turned to photography as an escape, and that’s when I started experimenting with new ways to style my hijab, taking pictures, and creating a blog.” An architect and interior designer by profession, she splits her time practicing architecture and documenting her style. Mahmoud describes her aesthetic as laid back and casual, and is drawn to a straightforward and practical wardrobe that consists of denim and monochromatic shirts and turtlenecks. When she does dress up for formal occasions, you’ll find her in a bright-colored silky wrap or slip dress, layered effortlessly with a high collar top or pullover.

Hafsah Mohammed 

Nigeria 

Born in Nigeria, Hafsah Mohammed ventured into the industry when she launched her now-defunct fashion blog after graduating from college in 2016. “I didn't know how far I would get, but I wanted to document how my style was changing and how I was experimenting with modest fashion,” she says. In 2017, driven by a lack of variety in modest fashion, she established a modest fashion line of functional everyday clothes and accessories, including scarves, jumpsuits, and tailored pants, named Elora Collection. With a degree in Human Resources and an MBA in Business Analytics, Mohammed’s dynamic and discerning personal style is driven by solid tailoring around vivid colors and bold, self-assured, and playful clothing combinations. By her admission, a blazer is her go-to piece, which is evident on her colorful and lively Instagram page.