Hipsters in hijabs: inside the multibillion-dollar world of Muslim fashion
The Qur’an, Islam’s most holy text, advises women to “dress modestly and draw their veils over their bodies”. Combining these religiously inspired guidelines with fashion-forward creativity, designers from Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia and Malaysia, are beginning to make their mark on the fast-growing global market for Islamic fashion. One of the most successful is Jakartan designer Anniesa Hasibuan, who made history during September’s New York Fashion Week (NYFW), one of the most important fixtures in the fashion calendar, when she became the first Indonesian to show at one of the event’s official venues. Equally groundbreaking was the Islamic thread running through her collection, providing another first in the history of NYFW: all outfits in the collection were paired with a hijab. Hasibuan’s D’Jakarta collection was reportedly inspired by her love for the diverse vibrancy of her home city. Featuring modest, yet intricately designed, gow...