The BoF Podcast | Modest Fashion at a Crossroads

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Background:

It’s a pivotal moment for modest fashion. Spending by Muslim consumers on fashion is projected to hit $428 billion by 2027, marking significant annual growth. Yet despite booming demand, modest fashion remains commercially fragmented and struggles for global recognition.

Emirati fashion designer Rabia Zargarpur founded her namesake brand after confronting the severe lack of modest clothing options in post-9/11 America. Driven by a personal need, she launched her brand from her grandfather’s garage in Silicon Valley, determined to bring modest fashion to mainstream runways.

“In 2000, you couldn’t even find modest basics — long sleeves, or something that would cover your hips,” Zargarpur says. “That was a huge aha moment for me. We are so neglected. Why isn’t there a single label catering to the needs of our women? And so I took charge and created my brand, Rabia Z.”

Kerim Türe, founder of the Istanbul-based modest fashion e-tailer Modanisa, initially tried to convince existing brands to move online. When they declined, Türe took matters into his own hands, building a global e-commerce powerhouse from scratch.

“The clothes we put on ourselves, a piece of fabric, it’s part of our identity, part of our self-confidence,” Türe says. “We believe all women deserve to look their best without compromising their beliefs.”

For Linda Anggrea, founder of Indonesian modest fashion brand Buttonscarves and CEO of the Modinity Group, the absence of modest fashion brands in major Indonesian shopping malls was glaring. She seized the opportunity, growing her brand from a single scarf line to a multi-brand group with over 100 retail locations across Southeast Asia.

“We want to feel good about ourselves, we want to feel comfortable,” Anggrea says. “If we put that concept into whatever we are doing, it will easily translate into a good collection but still fit modest values.”

This week on The BoF Podcast, in a compelling conversation with Forbes Middle East presenter Sally Mousa, at BoF CROSSROADS 2025, Rabia Zargarpur, Kerim Türe, and Linda Anggrea explore the growing influence of modest fashion, discuss its evolving presence in mainstream markets, and outline the steps necessary for sustainable growth, authentic collaborations, and global recognition.

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Key Insights:

• Authenticity is vital as modest fashion gains mainstream popularity. “There needs to be authenticity and they need to understand our values and work with us. If they work with [us], they would have better solutions,” says Zargarpur. Highlighting the transparency of superficial engagement by mainstream brands she adds, “We’re not just about caftans. All we see in the Ramadan collections and edits is the blingy caftan again, but we’re more than that. We’re about sustainability, ethical practices, creativity and innovation. Why can’t you make that kind of stuff for me the way you do for your other consumers?”
• The industry stands at a pivotal crossroads between short-term individual success and long-term collective growth. Anggrea underscores the importance of unity, even within her own brands: “We’re at a crossroads whether we want to go fast alone or go far together. Each brand has its own voice, but we have one shared mission. That modest fashion is not only accepted, but actually expected in all fashion runways, global fashion week, and every retail space all around the world.”
• Supporting emerging designers is essential for the future of modest fashion. “We need more and more brands coming from inside,” says Türe. “The designers and the business people need to come together.” He adds, “We are the colonised South. We need to bring our own branch to the world right now.”

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