Modest Fashion Showcases During LFW
04-12-2023
Aligned with London Fashion Week the second installment of LMFW (17th & 18th February 2018) took place at Victoria House, Bloomsbury Square, London. Founded by leading modest fashion e-tailer Haute Elan, LMFW stands for ‘London Modest Fashion Week’ and is a two-day showcase for international modest designers to showcase their collections on the catwalk – paving the way for the modest fashion industry’s continued exponential growth.
The full schedule featuring 28 designers included the likes of Hafza Studio in the UK, Dian Pelangi from Indonesia and Amal Al Raisi from Oman. The event is all about showcasing modestwear that is contemporary and stylish and judging by the attendees looking good is taken very seriously indeed.
According to the State of the Global Islamic Economy the Muslim fashion market is estimated to be worth £226 billion by 2020. The term ‘modest fashion’ generally refers to designs that are fluid and cover the entire body including arms and legs so that just the face and hands are exposed.
Over at Fashion Scout this season catwalk regulars ‘House of MEA’ hosted five designers from Indonesia to showcase their modest fashion collections for the first time at London Fashion Week. Each presented their signature style, technique, and combination of heritage meets contemporary style.
Led by JenyTjahyawati the aim was to show that stunning modest fashion can be integrated with main, designer fashion and is relevant for the many not just the few, including those that want to dress conservatively through choice. The collections were modelled by women of all nationalities to demonstrate inclusivity across the board.
House of MEA, is a co-supported platform by FAD International Academy and for the past five seasons has promoted & incubated emerging and established talent from across the Middle East & Asia. This season’s AW18 talent included:
Renowned award-winning designer Jeny Tjahyawati, she creates mainly Muslim fashion that is forward thinking and modern. This season her collection is inspired by the Loppo Flower of Indonesia. Using strong jewelled colours like turquoise and aubergine, luxurious fabrics and shoulder wraps enhanced with embroidery, beads, Swarovski crystals with an A-line silhouette and 3D pattern design.
From 2000 Lia Afif began focusing her collections towards Muslim women. Her current modest collection is called ‘Dhandaka Turqa’, which is a combination of Sanskrit and English. ‘Dhandaka’ is derived from Sanskrit, which means ‘poetry’, while ‘Turqa’ is derived from ‘Turquoise’. The collection is made from the batik cloth, Trenggalek, which tells about the culture and heritage of authenticity and ancestors and features a combination of voluminous skirts with shaped bodices using traditional fabrics, embroidery and high collars worn with simple headscarves adorned with theatrical headdresses.
Aisyah Rupnidah Chan catered for two audiences with her brands’ ‘Humaira’ graceful style with embellishments and sequins and her second brand ‘Darabirra’ – a Muslim wear collection. Under the ‘Darrabirra’ brand, this season’s collection ‘Sikok’ was inspired by the culture of Jambi city. The elegant and feminine styles are featured in soft, natural colours and use Jambi batik fabric along with delicate embroidery accents. Wider, more voluminous shapes with a focus on layers and movement help to create a refined and elegant silhouette.
Ratu Anita Soviah displayed a collection of Muslim wear using unique materials such as jumputan, songket, blongsong, tajung cloth, cloth archipelago and other typical Palembang cloth using tie-dye and natural techniques. Under the brand ‘Lentera’, the AW18 collection is entitled ‘Back to Nature’ and uses the signature elements of the brand, with pastel colours for a natural impression. The collection presents a modern approach to Modest dressing with tailored jackets worn over trousers and long skirts, neutral tones mixed with patterned soft fabrics, matt with sheen, belts to emphasize shape, neck and head scarves, styled with modern hats.
Tuty Adib started her brand 15-years ago she creates her Muslim collection from chiffon, silk, cotton, brocade and ‘Wastra Indonesia’ (batik, ikat, weaving, and songket) focusing on femininity and elegant style. This season’s collection is themed, ‘Basiba’, which is a traditional dress from Minangkabau, West Sumatra. The ready-to-wear collection features a unique and modern cutting, with beading and handcrafted detail.
Images by Magda Magdalena Jakubik
