If you want to see just how far Islamic fashion has come in mainstream circles, you need only look at the increasing number of conventions and fashion shows based around the style that have cropped up in the United States.
Despite the political uncertainty that has affected Muslims both in and out of the country, many areas of the United States have embraced Islamic fashion, also known as modest fashion. The most recent example of this was the Perfect For Her convention held in Los Angeles.
Held in mid-August, 2017, the convention offered Islamic fashion designers the chance to showcase their wares, while also allowing people who may not have considered Islamic fashion before the opportunity to look at new clothes.
The Event
The event itself took place at the community centre in Laguna Hills, one of the trendiest areas of Los Angeles. Billed as the United States’ largest Islamic fashion event, the show saw hundreds of women from all over the country descend on the community centre to examine the wares of some of the leading names in Islamic fashion.
Boasting 25 designers, who displayed designs ranging from trendy floral prints through to full skirts, the Perfect For Her convention attracted over 500 people.
The highlight of the event had to be the “Design Your Own Hijab” booth, which offered attendees the opportunity to glamourize their hijabs with Swarovski crystals. All told, the event offered a gathering place for Islamic fashion enthusiasts, and shows just how much this type of fashion has penetrated the United States in a very short period.
The History
This was not the first Perfect For Her convention. In fact, this marked the fourth iteration of an event that has grown consistently since its inception. Founded by Hassanah El-Yacoubi, the event came to be due to El-Yacoubi’s difficulty in finding modest fashions on the streets of Los Angeles.
Instead of complaining about the issue, she took steps to bring some of the United States’ leading Islamic fashion designers to her doorstep, creating the country’s premiere modest fashion event in the process.
In speaking about the event, she compared the fashion industry of a decade ago to what we have now. She talked about her past experiences, saying: “It was very difficult to find that one piece that was ready to go with a high neck, a to-the-floor hem, and the long sleeve.
“So a lot of layering had to happen. A lot of just looking frumpy and feeling disenfranchised as a Muslim woman in terms of the mainstream markets.”
That sparked her passion and she created an online blog to discuss the issue, which soon morphed into the event that attracted over 500 people only a week ago.
The first event was not so ambitious, but it was successful. Held in her friend’s home, the first Perfect For Her convention saw queues of women lining up outside the door to get their hands on more attractive clothing than they could find anywhere else in Los Angeles.
Today, the event has grown tremendously from those humble origins. It brings together Muslim fashion entrepreneurs and is becoming an increasingly vital piece of the mainstream puzzle.
