Hijabs, Abayas and shawls are all traditional garments held close to the hearts of Muslim women. The intricate wraps that drape from their bodies exude a rich history and heritage. Today, Muslim women are revealing their creative tastes by customizing original pieces of their cultureās clothing to fit their personalities.
Although the global number of Muslims is expected to jump 35 percent in the next 20 years, according to Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, the City of Indianapolis does not offer many places for Islamic people to purchase clothing.
Nar Mahmoud usually shops for her clothing at places such as Forever 21, H&M, Loft, and Macyās and said itās becoming easier to choose clothing because many places now sell scarves.
āI tend to buy clothing that are more baggy or long (enough) to cover my butt. If I cannot find shirts that are long enough, I buy long tanks from H&M to layer underneath,ā said Mahmoud who shows off her outfits on her Instagram page @narrsworld.
She has recently discovered a boutique in Indianapolis specifically for Islamic clothing called Bella Hijabs located at 1209 S. High School Road. Mahmoud has purchased three items via online in the past two months.
āI love their hijabs and the girls who run the business are extremely sweet,ā she mentioned.
Women are also taking advantage of strictly online boutiques such as Haute Hijab, which was āfounded with an entrepreneurial spirit and a clear objective: to offer modern hijabs and high-quality hijab-friendly designer clothing while nurturing a vibrant and inclusive community.ā
Bella Hijabs isnāt the only company selling their wear online to Islamic women. Online-based retailer, HauteHijab.com is owned by Melanie Elturk and Ahmed Zedan and has recently experienced their best selling month to date.
āThe concept started when I realized there was a void in the fashion world when it came to catering to hijab-wearing women,ā said Elturk who said contrary to belief the businessā name āHaute Hijabā is actually pronounced (oht), which means āto elevateā in French.
āI knew this would be something very well received by the community because not only is it needed materially but its nice to be heard as a consumer. Often times weāre ignored.ā
In 2014 the company sold over $250,000 in product and hopes to purchase their own storefront in the future.
For more information on Bella Hijabs, visit Bella Hijabs.com. For more information on Haute Hijab, visit HauteHijab.com.