Paris hosted its first ever Modest Fashion Week, bringing nearly 30 designers to a mansion just off the Champs-Élysées in a landmark moment for Muslim women and modest dressing communities who have faced systematic barriers in French public life. The event showcased collections featuring loose, long-cut garments and headscarves, centered on florals and nature-inspired hues.
Hicran Önal, the founder and designer behind Turkey-based brand Miha, wore a printed floral tulle dress and said romance was key to her collection. Her outfits blended water-like teals and blue with natural floral pinks. Indonesian designer Nada Puspita followed with cleaner lines. Aisa Hassan, the designer behind Australian brand Asiyam, said she had also been inspired by nature, with warmer references including deeper greens and almost autumnal reds, and a bucket hat nodding to her Aussie heritage.
Gen Z Streetwear Meets Modest Fashion
The softness in Hassan's outfits contrasted with the sporty aesthetic that remains prevalent in the industry. French brands Soutoura and Nour Turbans showed nylon, black, jewel-toned and boxy garments heavily influenced by Gen Z streetwear, a style also championed by sportswear giants Nike and Adidas. Nour Turbans styled a model with a beret over a headscarf. Turkish swimwear brand Mayovera showcased burkinis, described as a mix of the terms "burka" and "bikini," covering everything except the face, hands and feet. The item is banned in most public swimming pools in France but allowed on beaches.
Reclaiming Space in the Fashion Capital
Rukaiya Kamba, the creative director of Nigerian brand Flaunt Archive, said the decision to present her collection in Paris came from a "very intentional place." Soutoura's founder and creative director Fatou Doucouré said having the event in Paris filled her with pride and that she had struggled with her hijab in France but today felt it was not holding her back. Doucouré said exhibiting her collection in Paris made her feel that Muslim women who cover their hair or dress modestly could "take on any role in any society."
Some young attendees told the BBC they felt the event demonstrated a more inclusive French culture taking shape. One young French attendee of Malian heritage said the event had brought her joy as someone who had previously faced discrimination due to wearing a headscarf, and that seeing a major show full of international designers in the heart of Paris had made her "never want to leave." Another attendee said it felt like something had changed in France, with her hijab no longer feeling like the centre of political discussion, and that on the streets people had begun to see beyond it.
A Growing Market Amid Restrictive Policies
France is home to around 5-7.5 million Muslims according to estimates, and Özlem Şahin, head of the organisation behind Modest Fashion Week, described Paris as "one of the leading modest fashion capitals in Europe." The event had particular significance in France, where hijabs and other religious clothing have frequently made headlines and are restricted in certain settings. The headscarf and other religious symbols were banned in state-run schools more than 20 years ago in France, and more recently loose full-length robes known as abayas were prohibited in schools too.
This stems from laïcité, the French brand of secularism which decrees the state and public institutions should be free of religion. One consequence is that people cannot wear religious clothing and work in public-sector professions like teaching or the civil service. The market for modest fashion has grown rapidly in the past decade, with global consumer spending expected to exceed $400bn by next year, according to research firm DinarStandard. While the industry initially catered to Muslim women specifically, it is increasingly appealing to other religious communities and secular shoppers too.
Why This Matters:
This inaugural event highlights the tension between France's restrictive secularism policies and the lived reality of millions of Muslim citizens seeking full participation in society. While laïcité has been used to justify banning headscarves in schools and public-sector employment, the economic and cultural vitality of modest fashion demonstrates demand from communities who have been systematically excluded from certain professions and public spaces. The testimonies of young attendees who have faced discrimination underscore how clothing restrictions can marginalize citizens based on religious identity. As global spending on modest fashion approaches $400bn, the gap between policy restrictions and market reality raises questions about whether current regulations serve inclusion or perpetuate barriers that prevent Muslim women from accessing equal opportunities in education, employment, and civic life.