Indian Muslim women are increasingly looking for Islamic fashion, that not only gives them traditional kurtas and abayas but also wide-legged jeans, long skirts, and classic western tops. For those who thought it will be tough to get Islamic clothing fused with western style, there are now options such as the ‘Khalida dress’, marked by contrasting color and understated modesty; also a wrinkle-resistant line known for elasticized sleeves and a front opening or the smart-looking ‘military jilbab’ and the sporty ‘drawstring dress”. These vibrantly-coloured dresses are a far cry from the black Saudi-made abayas found in India.

Women here love this idea because it breaks stereotypes about Muslim women. “There is a desire in Muslim women to make the abaya and hijab reflect their confidence and not suppression. One way of doing this is by sporting urban and funky Islamic or Muslim fashion,” said Maryam Khan, a Lucknow-based doctor who loves her maxi skirt with a head scarf and wonders at how the western-inspired Muslim fashion weds fun with faith.

The players here are second generation Muslims who grew up in the west. They are opening fashion houses for the modern yet modest Muslim woman. There is the Islamic Design House that boasts a sporty and urban take on modest clothing, Shukr that focuses on fusing tradition with modernity and Arab, which is unique in providing a minimal feminine take on modest clothing.

These London-based fashion houses have now set up online outlets in India because of demand by India customers on Facebook. The fashion houses were started by women educated at the London School of Economics and other prestigious institutions and who have lived in New York or are familiar with avant-garde European fashion.

The head designer of Shukr, Tabassum Siddiqui, graduated from the prestigious Parsons School of Design in New York City and has worked under some of the most coveted names in the fashion world such as the Spanish designer Miguel Adrover and New York-based fashion photographer Roderick Angle.

These fashion houses reveal that the highest demand for Muslim fashion comes from the Middle East (Egypt, Jordan, Palestine), the Maghreb (North Africa) and the West. Since Indian Muslims are also inspired by western-style Muslim fashion, designers have included India in their international site, which is, as they say, also the fastest growing sector for this kind of fashion.

For more information, click here.