Muslim women all over the world, who are typically more fashion revolved, have begun to make themselves a name in the fashion world. It's called the "Hipster Hijabi's". Hijab's are an Islamic headscarf commonly worn by muslim women, and are often looked down upon in the western community. Although, after this movement on the popular social media site, Instagram, hijabi's are really starting to make a stand in the fashion industry.
These women fuse their sense of fashion with their faith, by reinterpreting the meaning of dressing conservatively. This growing group of women can be found on Instagram under the name of 'hipsterhijabis'. The brand they're representing does not only apply to Muslim women, as they are often seen dressed with modesty, but can also apply to conservative Christian and Orthodox Jewish women.
"We want to be current in fashion and adhere to the tenets of our faith," said Ibtihaj Muhammad, owner of fashion brand Louella, who cater to modest dressing combined with fashion.
Most can see mainstream designers also incorporating "stylish modest wear" into their lines. DKNY released a collection during the holy month of Ramadan that sold exclusively in the Arabian Gulf.
The hipster hijabi movement is essentially created by the younger generation of Muslim women. It spurred all over social media, and is continuing to inspire many Muslim women who felt their modest clothing was too oppressing for the western world.
The Instagram account "Hipster Hijabis" was created in 2012, by Summer Albarcha, a 16 year old teen from St. Louis, Missouri. The account is really successful, having almost 23,000 people following her on Instagram.
Although, with this growing success, also comes the challenges within the Muslim community that women face every day. Women in hijabs often find themselves in a banter with those who say that the hijab is too oppressing, and their religious wear is not seen as acceptable in their community, especially outside of the Middle East. Also, people are often seen complaining about the women on the Instagram account, saying that the hijab should be about covering a woman's beauty, and concealing it from strangers, not showcasing their sense of beauty on an Instagram account.
"People are resistant to change and people like to keep things the same," said fashion blogger Maria Al-Sadek.
For the creators of the brand, it's not about the name of hipster, but the modern day hijabi girl that is more stylish.
Written by Leena Singh:
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