Breaking away from the mould, the past decade has witnessed the birth and flourishment of modest fashion. Once deemed impossible, remaining stylish whilst still floating within the realm of faith is nothing but the norm these days.
We’re here to celebrate the figures behind the movement. Day in and day out, these women have been harboring crucial social benefits Muslims around the globe, answering the global demand for more representation in the digital world of fashion.
We’ve rounded up some of our favorites to provide you with never-ending inspo for your fits.
Yousra Zein
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The Tunisian-Swiss influencer and stylist, who was formerly known as @hayek to her 27,000 Instagram followers, is redefining modest fashion one #OOTD Instagram post at a time. Zein, who recently made waves as the first hijab-wearing contributor for Vogue France, single-handedly defies the all-too-common misconception that the headscarf prevents women from fully expressing themselves via their style. On her Instagram account, she snaps selfies in must-have pieces from Tibi, Acne, Issey Miyake, and Diesel, styled in her own minimalistic way.
Occasionally, she’ll take a more casual approach to modest dressing, throwing a bucket hat on over her headscarf, accessorizing outfits with converse sneakers, sporting Nike’s hijab, or trading in her signature blazers for leather jackets and puffer coats.
Shahd Batal
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The Sudanese content creator, who recently relocated from America to Sharjah, is a walking Pinterest board. With over 377K followers on Instagram who flock to her page for modest styling tips and outfit formulas that actually work, the 29-year-old has built a digital world that feels equal parts aspirational and attainable. Since making the move to the UAE, her content has subtly shifted too— more sun-drenched balconies, more abaya styling, more Sharjah corners turned into aesthetic backdrops.
She first gained traction creating natural hair tutorials before making the decision to wear the hijab in November 2016— a turning point that saw her delete all of her previous videos and begin again, this time with a clearer sense of self. That reset became the foundation of her brand and since then, she’s spoken at Stanford and Columbia on topics of authenticity and diversity, collaborated with major beauty and fashion brands, and, in 2020, launched an exclusive modest style edit with ASOS. A year later, she was selected for the U.S. YouTube Black Voices Creator Class of 2021, with the platform spotlighting her channel on a billboard.
Aya Mohammed
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Based in one of the world’s fashion capitals Milan, the Cairo-born model boasts a style that we’re more than just fans of. Elegant, graceful and chic, Aya beams a feed that is a mosaic of pictures that only serve as first-hand evidence of her ability to play with colours, textures and shapes to give birth to a physical personification of art in cloth.
Although fashion carves a great deal of her interests, Aya is also very passionate about education and educating. Holder of a degree in political sciences, the 25-year-old multi-hyphenate also fights racism and islamophobia fiercely through insightful and informative stories to tackle the above-mentioned matters. Accessible and always keen on exchanging through Instagram, Aya is definitely a top-flight figure to make sure to follow immediately.
Safya
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The Paris-based Instagrammer has made it a personal mission to make fashion available to all. Interested in all things DIY and second hand, her Tiktok account is a goldmine of tips and recommendations on where to find some of the cheapest garments around town or also how to turn any random textile into a perfectly tailored and unique piece of clothing to show off in front of your pals.
Serving some of the internet’s freshest looks out there, Safya’s style is one to note down in your books and look out for in shops – that follow button should really be saying following by now.
Leena Al Ghouti
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Leena Al Ghouti honestly needs no introduction. She’s a Dubai-based graphic designer and fashion influencer that has, let’s face it, been around for some time now that you’ve must have heard of her at some point. Having been the face of many high-end luxury labels all throughout her career, the self-described “visual communicator” is believed to be one of the pioneers of the modest fashion movement on Instagram and she never misses an opportunity to boast some incredible looks.
Understanding whatever assignment given in front of her, Leena is also known for having paired up with her brother Hasan to develop a streetwear brand of their own called Stacks. Serving an aesthetic that has stood the test of time, Al Ghouti has been one the architects of a scene that is finally blowing up – chapeau !
Sara Sabry
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Sara Sabry probably tops the list when it comes to followers and generating traction. With over 1.4M followers, the young woman who is originally from Cairo but is currently based in Montreal, seems to be traveling as much as she can to discover new countries and cultures while putting her impeccable style under the spotlight.
Always keen on making her native Egypt shine to the eyes of the world, her feed and fits are constant reminders of the region’s jaw-dropping beauty – and we can’t get enough of it. More than once, Sara’s life chronicles have garnered international attention as her undeniably fashionable and stylish aesthetic have made her one of the Arab world’s icons you need to make sure to have under the radar.
Rabab Lafetah
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From Morocco all the way up to England, Rabab draws inspiration from her background to build snazzy fits for her community to enjoy. Active since 2017, her progress has been meteoric.
Blending traditional looks with high-end accessories, the young fashionista never fails to bring heat and color to the usually rainy London town. Dabbling into everything from modeling to fashion, lifestyle and beauty, Rabab really can do it all and we’re here for it. Fasten your seatbelts, the self-proclaimed content creator will take you on a world tour through her warm polished looks which is exactly what we need with the winter season peaking its nose.
