Worldwide trend of Modest Fashion to be discussed at Modest Fashion Forum in early June in Moscow

On the 4th June the Sokolniki Exhibition and Convention Centre will host the unparalleled International Modest Fashion Forum within the framework of the 7th International Moscow Halal Expo exhibition (pavilion 4, conference hall). The project is aimed at the thriving fashion area known as “modest fashion”, which complies with Islamic fashion requirements and meets demands of the growing number of consumers.

The Forum is meant to facilitate the market development in Russia and to unlock this segment’s potential. Market experts from the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Russia will speak at the Forum.

Modest Fashion has already become a global trend.

The Islamic modest fashion market can be evaluated in terms of Muslim consumers’ expenditure for clothes, which, according toSalaam Gateway, amounted to USD 244 billion in 2015. According to the market research, the garments matching the “modest clothing” description determined by Islamic principles also meet the demands of the members of other religions or customers who prefer the clothing that covers the body instead of exposing it. Another noteworthy point is the dynamic growth of this industry over the last 5 years. In 2010, web search results for “Islamic fashion” displayed little more than a Wikipedia page. Nowadays the industry features over 25 big brands. The report published in February contained the names of over 1000 clothes manufacturers from the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) countries, 146 key brands of modest fashion and 85 online retailers.

Although the production of such clothes is more aimed at Muslims, the established high purchasing power of the product attracts other consumers, regardless of their religion, who often buy such clothes after not being able to satisfy their purchasing needs in conventional shops.

There is much evidence that the modest fashion is taking up positions in the fashion industry. In September 2015 one of the commercials of the Swedish H&M fashion retailer featured a model wearing a hijab. In 2014 the New-York DKNY brand launched a capsule women’s collection for Ramadhan, and in 2015 similar collections were introduced by Tommy Hilfiger, Oscar de la Renta, Zara and Mango. A Japanese retailer Uniqlo took it a step further by involving Hana Tajima, a British blogger and designer, in order to create a modest yet trendy collection.

Many other brands are planning to launch similar collections in this segment.

Pret-A-Cover™ - retailer programme

At the same time Modest & Islamic Fashion is a unique market where one should know his customer and avoid mistakes. At the Modest Fashion Forum the experts will talk about how the manufacturers and retailers can avoid these mistakes, how it is possible to capture this immense niche at the Russian market, and also how talented designers can enter the Gulf market with its enormous purchasing power and demand for designer solutions in apparel.

Islamic Fashion and Design Council in cooperation with the segment’s leading brands has announced the Pret-A-Cover™ retailer programme, which will be presented at Moscow Halal Expo 2016. IFDC developed this programme in order to reach out to the consumers of this significant but not entirely covered clothes market.

The key partner and moderator of the Forum is the Russian representative office of the Islamic Fashion and Design Council (IFDC Russia). IFDC focuses on studying and winning this market and cooperates with the largest organizations in fashion and design, economic forums, government initiatives, fashion weeks, retailers and manufacturers throughout the world.

Islamic Fashion and Design Council helps Russian designers.

“There is a strong consumer base for modest clothing in Russia. The revolutionary Pret-A-Cover™ retailer programme developed by the IFDC provides all manufacturers, regardless of their confession, with the access to the consumers of this fast-growing market. It also represents an opportunity for exporting Russian products. We want to reach out to the consumers in an efficient way, and IFDC is a perfect platform for that. We have close ties with producers, sellers, fashion organizations, Islamic banking institutions and others who want to join our initiative in order to attain a common goal. Modest & Islamic Fashion is an area where many have failed while competing for consumers’ attention, because they made some specific mistakes caused by misunderstanding of this market. At the Modest Fashion Forum we will share the secrets of this market and describe particular features of working with this segment’s customers, buyers and investors from different countries. Cooperation with the IFDC will open up opportunities not only for Russia, but also for all market players on a global scale”, — noted Dilyara Sadrieva, Head of IFDC Russia.

Harun Rashid, a partner of Seed Investments, a London-based Islamic investment company, founder and director of Islamic Design House, will speak at the forum.

“Russia is a vast country with a significant population of Muslim customers who are interested in the services of different price segments. The market share of stylish but at the same time modest clothing is considerable. I think the market will mature within the next 5–10 years” — says the forum expert Harun Rashid.

During the Exhibition talented designers will present their collections in exclusive show rooms. Over the years of its existence the Exhibition helped enter the market and promoted over 30 brands of Russian designers specializing in modest&Islamic fashion. One of the most fancied brands at the 2016 Exhibition is Kiriya, which means “a lady”. Muslim woman herself became an inspiration for its designers from Kyrgyzstan. “We want to show the world her beauty and dignity, elegance and moderation, to emphasize its uniqueness, as she knows how to meet the demands of modern life filled with technologies and innovations, being at the same time loyal to her family traditions and her Faith”, — states the company’s release.

FRANGIPANI, the first multibrand shop in the modest fashion segment,occupying more than 50 sq.m., will be presented at the Forum and the Exhibition.

“Currently there are almost no competitive big producers at the Russian market of Islamic clothing. However, the market has vast opportunities. When choosing partners for our project, we faced the lack of professional designers and manufacturers who would be really ready to expand commercial connections and enter the professional market. As the biggest players in this segment in Russia, we hope that the MODEST FASHION FORUM will help us understand how to proceed and to expand under crisis”, — say Anastasia Alaswad and DariaMusayeva, creators of the Frangipani brand.

The Forum’s professional media partner is PROFashion publishing house. The Forum’s media partners are Moslema In Style (Malaysia), COVER magazine (UAE), “Modniymagazin” edition.