Hijabs on the Runway: A Fashion Show in France, Where Face-Covering Veils Are Banned
Paris recently hosted the international "Modest Fashion Week" for the first time, sparking immediate debate. Over the course of three days, the spotlight was on "modest" fashion, with models donning headscarves as they strutted down the runway.
Between April 16 and 18, the Turkish company Think Fashion hosted an event in Paris. According to Apollo News, the company considers itself the founder of „Modest Fashion Week,” which debuted in Istanbul in 2016 and has since been held in major cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Jakarta.
Designers from around the world—including Kuwait, Nigeria, the United Kingdom, and the United States—showcased their collections in Paris. The fashion adheres to clear principles: long cuts, covering materials, wrist-length sleeves, and often color-coordinated headscarves. Approximately 30 fashion shows took place in total.
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The event also featured discussions on topics like whether „Modest Fashion” could become a standard in the luxury segment in the future. Images and videos from the event quickly spread across social media.
The choice of venue is particularly surprising, as France prohibits the wearing of full-face veils in public spaces, as well as headscarves and abayas in state schools.
Despite this, the organizers see significant potential in France. Özlem Sahin, the managing director of the company behind Fashion Week, told the American cultural magazine Hyphen that Paris is one of the leading capitals for „modest” fashion in Europe and represents a „rapidly growing, increasingly open market.”
More and more companies are embracing „modest fashion,” especially during Ramadan. The market is reportedly generating up to $144 billion in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
The „modest fashion” movement, which transcends strict religious frameworks, has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the global fashion industry. In 2026, luxury brands intensified their Ramadan initiatives with capsule collections from Gucci and Louis Vuitton, led by local muses such as Taleedah Tamer for Miu Miu, along with temporary activities, including Dior and The Ordinary pop-up stores in Dubai.
In both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, fashion items and accessories ranked second in popularity among goods purchased for Eid al-Fitr celebrations, thanks to influencer recommendations, following beauty and cosmetic products. In Saudi Arabia, 64% of consumers chose fashion and accessories, while in the UAE, this figure was 46%, according to a study conducted by Ipsos and ArabyAds.
The trend has also reached the German-speaking world. As reported by ORF, Vienna hosted a „Modest Fashion” show in 2019 under the motto „Our bodies – our business,” presented by designer Naomi-Afia Günes-Schneider.