Frequently characterized by long sleeves, high necklines and loose silhouettes, modest fashion has moved from niche to mainstream movement with hashtags like #modestfashion, racking up millions of views on social media platforms. Luxury brands like Max Mara and Dolce & Gabbana, and retailers like Farfetch and Net-a-Porter, have taken note. They’ve released modest edits for a high-fashion consumer who prefers to cover up. 

The movement appeals not only to religious women, but also to an entire generation looking to dress for themselves. Stylist Talia Brown Thall, who has dressed modestly since she was a child, says she’s often mistaken for Mormon or Orthodox Jewish. However, she simply prefers to feel fully clothed. “As a kid, I always saw fashion as my art form. I wanted to become a strong woman who creates a sense of curiosity,” she says. “I’m never going to show my cleavage. Rarely will you see my elbows or my knees. Occasionally, when I go to put on something more revealing, I don’t even feel like me, and it makes me reconsider who I’m dressing for.”

Despite this sense of empowerment that modest fashion can afford, it remains a fraught space amidst the global rise of Islamophobia. For many Muslim designers, influencers and consumers, there’s a sense of frustration at the way modesty is portrayed—as a style choice that’s celebrated when adopted by Western celebrities, yet scrutinized and debated when Muslim women around the world make the same decisions. The commodification of modesty is also at odds with Islamic values of sustainability and integrity. 

Since 2015, an event series known as Modest Fashion Weeks has appeared from Istanbul to Abu Dhabi, offering visibility to modest fashion designers and celebrating their creativity, innovation and sustainable choices. Garnering worldwide attention, it brings the true spirit of modest wear to a wider platform, positioning it as a cultural and economic force that makes space for women choosing modesty as a lifestyle, for religious reasons or otherwise. It’s a style philosophy that has longevity and the market is responding: spending on modest fashion apparel by Muslim consumers, according to The State of the Global Islamic Economy Report, was US $327 billion in 2023 and is expected to rise to US $433 billion by 2028.

Whether rooted in modesty or shaped by a broader preference for understated elegance, these five labels champion full-coverage dressing with intention. 

Sabirah

London-based label Sabirah takes a fresh approach to modest occasionwear with colourful fabrics, playful textures and unique shapes that make a bold statement. Launched in 2020 by stylist-turned-designer Deborah Latouche, the brand emerged from her desire to create high-fashion pieces that honoured her religious commitment to modesty. Still, most of Latouche’s clients are not bound by the rules of modest dressing; they simply love the Sabirah aesthetic. In keeping with the label’s commitment to sustainability, each piece is made to order using end-of-roll luxury fabrics, ensuring not only minimal waste but also a sense of rarity: every garment is limited edition, created by special request.

Bouguessa

Since 2014, Faiza Bouguessa’s eponymous label has been a symbol of minimalist sophistication in an overcrowded world. The Algerian-French designer, whose atelier is located in the Dubai Design District, draws on a lineage of craftsmanship passed down from her seamstress grandmother. She creates three collections per year, translating her garment-making legacy into modern suiting and comfortable basics. Standouts from her newest collection for Fall 2025 include the Zelda suit, a two-tone ensemble split cleanly between grey pinstripes and black, and the Nouf long blazer in burgundy—a fresh take on an abaya.

La Collection

Antwerp’s La Collection approaches fashion through a multicultural lens. Though not strictly a modest-wear brand, it eschews skin-baring styles in favour of architectural designs that feel timeless in their elegance. The label was founded by Florence Cools and Artur Tadevosian in 2017 to create sustainable, high-quality clothing with natural materials like recycled wool and mulberry silk—investment pieces meant to be passed from generation to generation. Now, La Collection is best suited to the “it” girl who appreciates originality, from tent-shaped turtlenecks with gathered draping to wide-legged trousers with double pleats.

Anatomi

A leading UAE modest-wear brand with its flagship store in the heart of Dubai, Anatomi is the passion project of founder Doaa Alghouti, who dreamed of crafting wearable art for women when she started her label in 2015. From kaftans and abayas to matching sets, her pieces embrace restrained simplicity with subtle use of unexpected details, like three-dimensional floral appliqués, pearlescent fastenings and artful embroidery. Her bridal and eveningwear offerings also pair high-coverage silhouettes with whimsical embellishment. To meet the needs of her Muslim clientele, she builds out a collection each year that’s centred on the holy month of Ramadan and its fast-breaking celebration, Eid.

Bora Aksu

Turkish-born, London-based designer Bora Aksu burst on the scene in 2003 when he debuted his first collection on the catwalks of London Fashion Week. Since then, he’s been a ready-to-wear mainstay known for his notably modest take on ethereal femininity. His latest offering for Fall 2025 was inspired by one of his mother’s favourite films, Sissi, a 1955 historical drama about Empress Elizabeth of Austria, who was crowned Queen of Hungary in 1867. The collection channels his imperial muse with vintage lace-trimmed blazers and high-necked gowns layered in tulle and georgette, all reimagined for the modern romantic.