Photos by: artizara.com
Many Muslim women wish to incorporate fashion trends and "modernity" into their wardrobes while simultaneously adhering to Muslim tenets.
A feature of Muslim "fashion," if you will, that has become a point of heated contention is the hijab, the head scarf that has signified the Islamic value of modesty. To some the hijjab is viewed as a flagrant sign of the female subjugation that is at the heart of the Islam faith, while to others the the wearing of a hijab is comparable to a Christian's wearing a cross -- both are symbols of one's efforts to grow in his or her faith.Aesthetically speaking, a Muslim woman must work to evolve a style of her own that strikes a balance between her faith and her place in a society where fashion dominates.
Asra Nomani, author of "Standing Alone in Mecca: An American Woman's Struggle for the Soul of Islam," notes that getting dressed is "a really intentional, mindful event in our lives every day."Getting dressed becomes all that more of an arduous task when few retailers accommodate the growing western Muslim population. Many Muslim women have difficulty finding anything wearable in conventional stores. Some Muslim women are turning to increasingly popular online stores, such as artizara.com, for wearable alternatives.
Do religion and fashion need to be mutually exclusive? If Muslim women are making up a significant market, should popular stores such as H&M and Zara become especially attentive to the Muslim community? Would such attention from secular insitutions be inappropraite?
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