Modest Fashion Week is Coming to Abu Dhabi – Here’s an Update on This Global Style Movement

For the upcoming Abu Dhabi Modest Fashion Week, Aden has partnered with Turkish label Marina to create a collection that celebrates individuality within modesty. “In mainstream fashion, modesty is often boxed into a seasonal trend, but platforms like this give designers, models and consumers the chance to engage with modest fashion on our own terms. It isn’t just about clothes; it’s about storytelling, identity and representation – these events push the industry forward by proving that modest fashion isn’t niche, it’s global.”

For modesty is far greater than a trending aesthetic: it’s a booming international industry, with Muslim spending on fashion increasing year on year and forecasted to reach $428 billion by 2027, according to DinarStandard’s State of the Global Islamic Economy 2023/24 Report. (In 2022, it was valued at $318 million.) The Gulf, naturally, is at the epicentre of this revolution in retail, and homegrown brands across the region have achieved success both in the Middle East and beyond.

“The GCC is a global fashion powerhouse, boasting impressive growth and a surge of talented entrepreneurs, designers and influencers in the modest fashion space,” says Emirati designer Rabia Zargarpur, who served on the advisory board for the inaugural Modest Fashion Week in Istanbul in 2016, and in 2017, was the creative director of the first Dubai Modest Fashion Week. “These events offer designers the opportunity to gain visibility, celebrate the diverse expressions of modest fashion and earn recognition within the industry that matters most to most to them – the modest fashion audience,” she explains.

In addition to her own label, Zargarpur established the Modest Fashion Academy to offer masterclasses, workshops and one-on-one sessions to help aspiring modesty-focused designers and entrepreneurs find their footing. “Professional guidance is essential for fashion labels to thrive and gain recognition in the industry. It’s a business, not just a creative outlet, and understanding this is crucial for scaling up,” she explains. Mentorship, infrastructure and initiatives serving the modest fashion industry are key in sustaining it. Ahead of Abu Dhabi Modest Fashion Week, Turkish organiser of Modest Fashion Week, Ozlem Sahin, emphasises that it is not merely an event, but a platform that brings designers together with government entities, retailers, press and consumers to maximise opportunities for growth. “The UAE is one of the world’s leading modest fashion capitals,” she adds.

It’s only natural that this region would be at the forefront of this rapidly expanding retail space, which has been embraced by luxury fashion houses from Dolce & Gabbana to Max Mara. Modesty is, after all, woven into the cultural fabric of the Middle East. Dubai-based stylist Junaynah El Guthmy, who has consulted with brands in addition to being an ambassador of the modest fashion community, points out that modesty is rooted in this region and questions whether the local fashion ecosystem has sufficiently embraced this cultural heritage. “Accepting a small role in this space risks undermining the significance of modesty, which is a core aspect of Mena society,” she believes.

Photo: Junaynah El Guthmy

El Guthmy wonders whether modesty, when imported as a Western-led movement, overshadows its local precedence. “Instead, the region should take the lead in showcasing its unique interpretation of modesty across all facets, including fashion weeks, rather than conforming to external influences,” she explains. In applauding separate modesty-themed fashion weeks, along with exclusive modesty-focused collections and collaborations (often released only during Ramadan) from European and American brands, she believes that modesty risks remaining niche and othered, rather than mainstream and seamlessly fused into retail offerings.

“Modest fashion is not a separate entity from the rest of fashion,” says Norwegian-Somali model Rawdah Mohamed, who started the #handsoffmyhijab campaign in 2021 and appeared on a Vogue Arabia cover that same year. “It all coexists, as a global phenomenon where the evolving styles and designs in clothing transcend regional and cultural boundaries.”

Mohamed has walked at Oslo, Copenhagen and Paris Fashion Weeks, and has also been a frequently photographed red carpet and street style subject herself, with her flair for exaggerated shapes and edgy layering changing the way that modesty is viewed in Europe. She will be attending Abu Dhabi Modest Fashion Week to present her collaboration with Turkish label Imannoor. “Having a stable functioning community where different creatives can uplift, inspire and work together is essential for the future development and survival of the industry,” says Mohamed.

Beyond its survival, UAE-based hijab-wearing model Mariah Idrissi hopes that the core values of modesty be revived, rather than clouded by the overwhelming commodification of it. This year marks a decade since Idrissi became the world’s first hijab-wearing model to star in a global campaign after being recruited by H&M in 2015. Since then, she has starred on magazine covers and spoken at conferences and summits, championing diversity and social responsibility in fashion. Idrissi believes that the movement often veers away from its faith-based foundations, emphasising that fast fashion, for instance, is inherently at odds with Islamic ideals. “I want to draw more attention to the importance of sustainability and ethical practices in brands that are labelled ‘modest,’” she says, explaining that the whole process – from sourcing fabrics to labour and production – should be ethically aligned with the ethics of the faith.

Photo: Mariah Idrissi

Photo: Mariah Idrissi

And while Muslim spending power may be fuelling modest fashion, the movement has attracted many women of other faiths, as well as those who are non-religious. “Some embrace it for personal comfort, others for professional settings, and some as a form of rebellion against hypersexualised fashion norms,” points out Aden. It’s a movement driven by autonomy: choosing how much to reveal rather than being told what’s acceptable. That’s why modest fashion is here to stay – it empowers individuals to define style on their own terms.”

While elegance and femininity may have characterised the aesthetics driving the early rise of modest fashion, the revolution has since outgrown such limits. Aden, dressed for our shoot in labels including Loewe, Jacquemus, Valentino and Erdem, embodies the movement’s maturity. At times androgynous and experimental, skin-covering clothing today is bold and expressive. From niches such as swimwear, activewear and hijab accessories, to the layering of clothing that was never designed to cover skin in the first place, creativity and innovation continue to push the boundaries of modest fashion further.

The demand for conservative cuts has an impact on the global retail landscape – there’s no doubt about that. Most phenomenally, modesty has become more accessible – and acceptable – in places where it was previously ostracised. “Seeing hijabi women grace global campaigns, not as a one-time marketing move but as a reflection of real consumers, has been huge,” says Aden. “Also, witnessing young girls feel seen and celebrated – whether it’s through a Barbie doll wearing a hijab or a major runway moment – makes it all worth it. The impact isn’t just about visibility; it’s about shifting mindsets and expanding beauty standards.”

Abu Dhabi Modest Fashion Week takes place from April 14-16 at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort.

From the April 2025 issue of Vogue Arabia