For those of us Muslimahs engaged on any social media platform, we’re constantly inundated with beautiful pictures or videos of the latest in modest fashion. Flowy skirts or beautifully brightly coloured short dresses paired with tights; terrific footwear and fabulous headcoverings or styled tresses. All accompanied by fabulous vintage accessories, statement necklaces and designer sunglasses.
Most of the time I am awed by the creativity and the effort of what is Modest Fashion.
My own small commitment to fashion is buying coloured hijabs (I am terrified of prints), and my go-to is colour-blocking. I have been sporting Birkenstocks since I was twelve and have no plans to change that. Before I started wearing hijab in university, I walked around in a messy-bun and had my long hair up most of the time. My fashion regimen is fairly simple. If I do make-up, it takes four minutes.
I have a bestie, Nabila (currently living in London), who is my fashion guru. She is a full-time PhD candidate but moonlights as a fashion blogger, and is the person to whom I refer for questions and ensemble approval (Whatsapp zindabad).
My interest and fascination in Hijab-Couture is not a reflection of me being jealous. Really, it is not. I have become very comfortable with myself and with Nabila’s constant affirmation can finally pick my own pedicure colours.
Nor is it a theological critique of the entire concept of hijab fashion. There is incessant debate on the issue, as explored in this recent video by Zujaja Creations.
There is a serious paradox within the fashion industry. More specifically, within the subset of fashion ruled by Muslim women, a niche that has shifted greater fashion perspectives on hijab and modest-leaning clothing, and one that taps into the wide-open Muslim consumer market valued at $170 billion by marketing firm Ogilvy Noor. That problem comes in the form of the opposite gender – and the problems the male gaze brings with it.
When speaking of male gaze and male involvement, I am not alluding simply to the issue of men seeing women, but rather to the history and power dynamic in which men control how women are represented, depicting women in ways intended to attract or satisfy the heterosexual male eye. Refusing to acknowledge and address this phenomenon only serves to perpetuate an erosion of the values and work that women have brought to the table so far.
Time and again, through differing types of messaging, Muslim women have been told that their body is their own to protect and that they should dress not to please societal standards of beauty and sexuality, but for a higher purpose and meaning. However, it is important to note that even movements that encourage a specific definition of modesty end up playing into societally constructed beauty standards, and the very idea of what it “looks” like to dress for the higher purpose and meaning often leads to women dressing according to social pressures to conform to the certain standard of modesty. References to the ideal, then, often lead to Muslim women being held to a whole slew of societal standards. Efforts towards a construction of our own standards within this framework are then only natural, an attempt to create our own space in fashion for self-expression, identity, and beauty. It is a space flavored by cultures and colors of every sort, carefully tied together by particular understandings of modesty and self-guarding. Modesty-friendly designers and boutiques have gained traction, and with the collaborative explosion of social media and online communities, some heavily influential fashion bloggers have onto the scene.
Fashion bloggers like Dina Toki-O, The Hijablog, Ascia AKF and Winnie Detwa set the stage for fellow aesthetically-inclined visionaries to join in pushing the next big modesty and hijab trends, proudly and unapologetically wearing their identities. (Of course, it is important to take a moment to note here that modesty and hijab are not always synonymous.) The simple acts of publicly displaying their beliefs through such a variety of aesthetic practices have worked to empower Muslim women worldwide by making them feel able to be themselves and have fun with what they wear while still maintaining self-definitions of modesty. These fashion bloggers have worked hard to amass credentials and followers, and as more and more bloggers flood the scene, the need to remain ahead of the game is becoming an ever-increasing necessity.
However, along with the newfound success and influence of the bloggers comes the potential for certain problems to arise, linked in part to increased male involvement. It is an issue that can be seen more widely in the fashion industry, reflected in the Terry Richardson’s and the perpetuation of eating disorders amongst models trying to land the next job. The problem presents itself in the form of men being recruited to shape the definition of modesty, with photographers like Langston Hues being commissioned en-masse to create a book containing what he perceives to be the very definition of modesty, accomplished by cherry picking from the numbers of hijabi and modest fashion bloggers around the world. By not remaining wary of the baggage that male visual artists bring to a field dominated and spearheaded by women, we as consumers and producers of fashion content are setting ourselves up for complications in the years ahead. (more…)
This post was written by guest contributor Kristin Peterson (@KrissyPetey), who also blogs at Third Spaces, a group blog for researchers at CU-Boulder’s Centre for Media, Religion and Culture.
YouTube is frequently the go-to place to check out the latest hilarious video, view a clip from a movie, or watch a music video. Over the last few years, YouTube has also become a space where young people can create and post videos, sharing their personalities and advice on various topics, while also attracting more and more “likes” and followers. A popular genre of these amateur-style videos is the female lifestyle video, which features topics like fashion styles, makeup tutorials, beauty product recommendations, relationship advice, and dieting tips. In many ways, these highly polished and entertaining videos have replaced the female fashion magazine. For example, one of the most popular individuals on YouTube is Michelle Phan, a self-described “makeup guru” who attracts millions of viewers to each of her videos and was recently featured in an advertisement for Dr. Pepper. These lifestyle videos are not only entertaining for viewers, but they are also highly lucrative for the video-makers who can attract larger followings.
YouTube is also full of numerous videos that share information about Islam, and along with the many YouTube videos about Islamic theology and scholarship, there is also a community of young women who post videos about lifestyle advice and daily activities, like how to wear hijab, recipes for holiday meals, and makeup tips. While many of these videos are meant to be entertaining and frequently imitate popular video forms on YouTube, the videos still incorporate strong Islamic themes and sensibilities.
YouTube is a flexible medium that allows for these Muslim women to blend together elements of popular culture with their Islamic faith. Young Muslimahs living in North America and Europe are frequently fighting against an assumed dichotomy that they must either assert their Islamic identity or assimilate into Western culture. For young Muslimahs who have grown up in places like the U.S., Canada, or the U.K., this dichotomy usually does not speak to their personal experiences. While these Muslimah lifestyle videos may come as a surprise to those not familiar with Islam, this hybrid style of modest fashion videos or halal makeup tutorials is not out of the ordinary for these women. These videos are just another example of how Muslimahs are using online media forms to make meaning in their lives and to express themselves.
With the larger trends of mainstream lifestyle videos in mind, several Muslimahs have created YouTube channels that feature similar lifestyle videos while incorporating Islamic styles and values. For example, a popular trend on YouTube is the Outfit of the Day (OOTD) video, in which women discuss what they are wearing that day and from where the items were purchased (check out examples of mainstream OOTD videos here and here). Several Muslim YouTubers (saimastyleslike, TheSewist, dinatokio) have posted similar videos, but they feature outfits that are seen as more modest (long skirt or pants covered by a tunic, long-sleeved shirt, and a headscarf), and the outfits are frequently being worn to go to religious celebrations. These videos focus on common lifestyle topics (fashion, makeup, relationships, nutrition), but they incorporate Islamic elements to distinguish them from the mainstream videos and to always keep Islamic values at the center of their lives. For example, the women discuss how to dress and act piously, apply simple and natural makeup, offer nutritional tips for fasting during Ramadan, and use Islamic phrases and prayers in their videos. In addition, not all the videos on these sites are about lifestyle topics. Several video-makers (Nye Armstrong and ChelseyHijabLove) are also converts to Islam and have filmed videos about their personal experiences as converts, as well as useful tips for new Muslims. (more…)
The event, which takes place in Senegal, has been attracting designers from all over Africa for the past ten years. The event has been reported to attempt to bring Africa forward in the fashion world, and to counter Western fashion houses stealing African aesthetics and motifs.
Nonetheless, the Yahoo! News article focuses on Malian designers and the fact that fashion seems to be too colorful and perhaps too showy for the Islamists. Mali, a country that is rarely featured in the fashion section of the news, went through a coup d’état earlier this year, and now the northern region is under the control of Ansar Dine, a group commonly identify in the Western media as Islamist rebels, who have also recently attacked Timbuktu.
The article suggests that fashion is too “cool” for these Islamists, as they have taken the conservative approach in endorsing hijab and banning trousers for women. To some degree, the article portrays angry Islamists getting back at fashion designers and perhaps even women. Nonetheless, the issue may be a bit more complex than Yahoo! News analysis. The issue with fashion may be not its colors and uncovered arms, but what it represents. In an interview, designer Sidahmed Seidnaly, aka Alphadi and also known as the Magician of the Desert, expresses his discomfort with the situation in Mali and the push for Shari’ah law in the northern region. Similarly, designer Mariah Bocoum made her five-piece collection to represent the struggle of Malian people and as a way to resist the restrictions now imposed in Mali’s north. (more…)
Earlier this month, the Russian capital held the first Islamic Style festival. The festival was organized by the Council of Muftis in Russia and aimed to show a “correct” image of Muslim women’s clothing. The Muftis, perhaps concerned with mainstream media showing Muslim women as weak and oppressed, decided try out fashion world by encouraging Islamic fashion designers to come out and present their work.
“I believe that such festivals demonstrate that a Muslim woman is updated, she can wear beautiful clothes, she is well educated. At the same time, first of all, hijab, beautiful clothes that cover the head and body of a Muslim woman, demonstrates her femininity and good temper. Thus, such festivals give opportunity to see the modernity of a Muslim woman, to see that she is not some outcast in a closed society. On the opposite, she is open; she is undoubtedly an active woman in all the spheres and problems. I believe that this festival will continue and it will be very successful.”
The coverage of the event in the Spanish-speaking media provides further information on the ideas behind the Islamic Style festival. (more…)
An eclectic round-up of some articles of interest elsewhere on the internet:
A Muslim participant on Project Runway Philippines was recently eliminated. MMW reader Sumaya writes that, “Just as quickly as I found out about the first Muslimah to be on Project Runway in the third season of Project Runway Phillipines, sadly I found out she was recently eliminated in the last rounds. Fatima Guerrero, a 21-year-old fashion student from Nueva Ecija,is still awesome in my books.” From Guerrero’s writing on the Project Runway Philippines website:
“To be part of the top 15 designers was one of the most amazing things that ever happened to me. This is a big step for my career! But during the competition, I did not aim to win. Rather, I wanted to prove to people that a Muslim woman like me can also compete in this kind of industry.
[…]
I know that the high expectations are not only from the judges but from everyone who knows me as a Muslim and a fashion designer. Because of this, I am now more challenged and motivated to show who I am as a fashion designer in the real world.
Now, I‘m planning to finish my studies. Pursue my career. Make my own clothing line for Muslims and non-Muslims. Be involved in fashion shows and other fashion activities. This is just the beginning and I’m very excited for what is yet to come!”
“A group of Iranian female martial artists have hit out at Reuters over a report that allegedly described them as “assassins,” saying they are suing the media organization for defamation, Iran’s state television reported on Wednesday.
The Reuters report came out last month but does not appear to be available anywhere except in the form of a slideshow that does not mention the word assassins.
[…]
Women are barred from many sports activities in the Islamic Republic due to the country’s restrictive moral codes, a point of ongoing contention between the country’s restless young female population and the authorities.
It may be why the government has invested so much in areas like martial arts in recent years, with Ninjutsu clubs throughout Iran supervised directly by the Ministry of Sports’ Martial Arts Federation.
[…]
Martial artist Raheleh Davoudzadeh told Press TV that the report “can harm our chances to travel to other countries to take part in global tournaments and international championships,” concerns possibly heightened by Saudi Arabia’s recent announcement that it will allow female athletes to represent them at the upcoming Olympics — an all-time first for the conservative Muslim nation.
It also comes after world football officials denied Iranian women’s soccer team entry into an Olympic qualifying round in Jordan over Iran’s insistence that its female players wear headscarves, a move that lead Iran to forfeit the game, according to CNN.
Such events have not helped Iran’s sports standing internationally, making the Reuters report all the more unfortunate, martial arts trainer Akbar Faraji told Press TV, calling the defamation lawsuit “a matter of reputation.”
One female ninja, Khatereh Jalilzadeh, said the group is “taking legal action because the ladies that train in Ninjutsu first and foremost enjoy it as a sport,” explaining that it’s not political, it’s just “about working out and staying fit.”‘
Although Muslim women are often portrayed in the media as wearing nothing but black abbayas, black hijabs and, often times, burkas and niqabs, Muslim women are claiming a place within the fashion industry. On one hand, some Muslim women have become visible as models; on the other, some are working to change things for those looking for stylish clothes that meet their standards for modesty. Nonetheless, this does not come without challenges.
Hind Sahli and Hanaa Ben Abdesslem. Image via The Daily Beast
In the aftermath of 9/11 and the after-effects of Islamophobia around the Western world, we tend to see particular ideas on what Muslim women “look like” or what they should be doing (which usually has nothing to do with fashion).
However, Muslim women have become an important fashion market. A number of well-known fashion houses have attempted to appeal to them through the commercialization of “modest” pieces of clothing and head scarves, but to what degree this has been successful is questionable. Yet, Muslim women soon transcended their role as pure consumers to become the leading figures of the industry.
Much of the Western media was first shocked when Rima Fakih won the Miss USA title. Then, Hindi Sahli and Hanaa Ben Abdesslem came along to challenge Western stereotypes about Arab and Muslim women. Having Muslim and Arab models in the West is often described as a Western initiative that has allowed for the “globalization” of the industry with personalities like Kyle Hagler expressing that “We have a responsibility in the fashioncommunity to reflect global beauty, to reflect the new economies and reflect their financial strengths,” and “I think we all became socially aware.”
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