Whether they’re flying under the radar or taking the world by storm, Muslim-owned fashion and beauty brands are redefining the style options available for modern Muslim women. As the subject of representation continues to gain the attention it has long needed, modest fashion companies are growing and thriving.
Noting that inclusion is the name of the game, fashion and beauty brands such as Huda Beauty, Farsali, Louella, Nzinga Knight and Verona Collection boost a wide selection of modern and chic styles that allow everyone to express themselves creatively, passionately and authentically.
So, what are some of the things that these fashion brands do that set them apart?
When big brands like DNKY, Tommy Hilfiger and other famous designers came up with their modest wear collections, they received harsh consumer reviews. The modest fashion market was disappointed because the collections incorporated elements such as sheer material, clingy fabric and exposed skin. The modest wear consumer base had been misunderstood and this was an important lesson for the industry.
Take your time to do your research and get to know what modest market needs and wants. When you’re catering to the modest fashion audience, you need to prove that you have done your homework and you understand the market. The truth is women who prefer modest wear, which includes women of all body shapes and sizes, want the same thing all women want: to look and feel beautiful.
Launched in 2017, Dubai-based online retailer The Modist, has done just that. Having never marketed itself exclusively for the Muslim market, The Modist stocks over 180 brands and is positioned as a fashion luxury e-commerce site catering to all women.
Getting people to talk is one way of generating awareness about your brand. Find something that you want to talk about and think of a creative way to put it out to the public. H&M is one brand that finds innovative ways to deliver a message and create awareness. In its ‘Lady Like’ campaign, H&M brought out the message of body positivity with a video of women of all shapes and sizes in H&M clothing, dressed in styles that suit their individual personalities and preferences.
Besides that, the Swedish multinational clothing retail company’s innovative ‘Close the Loop’ ad is another example of innovative marketing. With the aim of promoting its mission to make fashion more sustainable, it created one of the most diverse ads featuring plus-sized model Tess Holliday and Muslim model Mariah Idrissi. The ad gained massive positive response for its celebration of different cultures in relation to fashion. By creating a buzz, it ensured that its message of sustainability was heard.
With many people going online, it is your job to convince potential customers that your brand is worth looking at. You would achieve this is by engaging potential customers on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
Addressing a real need is the only way potential customers will risk trying an unestablished online brand. In the modest community there has been a tremendous rise of these online consumer engaged brands.
The automated algorithm for a lot of social media platforms works to feature posts that have generated more likes and comments.
Focus on creating attractive posts to boost your chances of getting more views. More views and engagement will thus lead to more exposure, and this translates to more traffic for your brand pages.
Brands such as Huda Beauty often host giveaways on their pages to encourage customers to like, tag friends or post on their own feeds, hence generating more traffic. While strong content and an engagement strategy can help your modest fashion brand page to grow organically, retailers are also bolstering fan numbers by developing multichannel campaigns and advertising on various platforms. This also gets brands the exposure they need to draw in potential customers.
In todays digital age, drawing your audience instantly is key. When people view your website or social media page, you have less than seven seconds to capture their attention. Therefore, treat your customers like you only have a few seconds of their time. As the brains behind your brand (the person in charge of marketing and designing), your mission is to make your brand memorable – make sure visitors will remember your brand after being on your web page for just 10 seconds.
While having a well-developed strategy is good, its also important to keep your content fresh and evolve with the times. Keep experimenting to find the right strategy. Keeping up with the times and being open to new trends can allow for a more wider customer base.