Executive Summary
There is an increasing demand among Muslim women for easily accessible clothing in the retail market that is both fashionable and modest. However, clothing manufacturers have ignored this demand leaving a gap in the market. Muslim women have addressed this demand by attempting to establish a new global fashion identity. The internet plays a significant role in how Muslim women communicate and develop their fashion identities. Western fashion is playing a substantial part in shaping the mores of this new fashion identity; however, this is not necessarily to the benefit of the community where debate is intense and sometimes heated over exactly what Islamic fashion entails. Countries such as Turkey, Lebanon and Syria are emerging as producers of fashion for Muslim women, but women in the U.S. and U.K are also spearheading new fashion movements.
The cultural, ethnic and national identities of Muslim women are as varied and unique as any other consumer group. Television, the internet and other media play a significant role in influencing decisions on fashion. Women now have access to ideas from all over the world and are disseminating those ideas in ways that are both traditional and unexpected. The extent to which the internet plays a role in the fashion choices of Muslim women needs to be determined. Definitive research on the needs, style choices, fashion influences and sources of fashion for Muslim women needs to be undertaken in order to determine how best to serve this market. Furthermore, recommendations are needed on how to forge an Islamic fashion identity that is both trendy and modest yet serves as many members of the Ummah as possible
