‘Hijup.com’ gets ready to enter London market

Hijup.com recently released its exclusive collection for London Fashion Week, where it was given space to exhibit its collections at the international fashion showcase.

 

Muslim fashion designer Dian Pelangi paraded her collection on the fashion show catwalk alongside London-based designer Edda Gimnes of Norway and Fengyi Tan of China. 

 

“I thought it was just an exhibition, but it turned out I got an offer for a fashion show. I was really surprised,” said Dian. 

 

Dian has been collaborating with students from the London School of Fashion — Nelly Rose and Odette Steele — training them in traditional clothing making techniques. 

 

The results had been presented during Jakarta Fashion Week and later found their way to Fashion Scout in London Fashion Week with the support of the British Council. 

 

Dian found the council’s support really helpful. “At the time when people have Islamophobia due to terrorism, they present Islam through a different approach: through fashion,” said Dian. 

 

Muslim fashion has become a growing industry with Muslim consumers spending some US$230 billion on clothing, according to the 2015-2016 State of the Global Islamic Economic Report. It has been estimated the figure will increase to $327 billion by 2020. 

 

The report also mentioned the Indonesia Islamic Fashion Fair and Dian Pelangi as key players in the global Muslim market, luring big brands like H&M and DKNY to join the trend.

 

HijUp founder Diajeng Lestari said the presence of international brands, like Dolce & Gabbana, could be used to create awareness of Muslim fashion trends. 

 

She saw London as the center of fashion that embraces multicultural lifestyles. 

 

HijUp, she said, is currently studying the market and investors to discover the possibility of opening up a warehouse, conducting promotions and seizing the market.

 

“One of the Indonesian government’s visions is to make Indonesia the capital of the Muslim fashion industry. This is our progressive movement before others move ahead more quickly,” Ajeng said.

 

She has much confidence in London’s Muslim market as Britain is home to more than 3 million Muslims, 5.4 percent of the population of England and Wales. 

 

With the concept of bringing Muslim fashion online, Ajeng sees the potential in London’s middle class, HijUp’s target market. 

 

“The middle class will want products that fit their needs. Indonesian style is influencing Muslim communities. We inspire each other,” said Ajeng. 

 

Ajeng launched HijUp in 2011 after observing the ever-increasing market demand for trendy Islamic clothing.

 

As a hijab-wearing woman herself, she came up with the idea of developing a business platform that would connect Islamic fashion designers with their target customers at more affordable prices than by having to rent a physical store. In London, a soft introduction of Hijup.com was recently held at the HijUp International Meet Up and Trunkshow in London, which was attended by UK, Moroccan, Somali and Indonesian Muslim fashion bloggers. 

 

The event included a discussion between HijUp designers Dian Pelangi, Zaskia Sungkar, Jenahara, Restu Anggraini, Vivi Zubedi and the founder, Ajeng. 

 

Each of the designers promoted her own signature style — Dian Pelangi with her traditional and bohemian style, Zaskia Sunkar through her mix of modern and traditional looks, Vivi with ethnic and bohemian abaya, Jenahara with contemporary Muslim wear that could also be used by non-hijab-wearing women and Restu brought in a premium women’s collection. 

 

H&M’s Muslim model Mariah Idrissi complimented the unity of Indonesia’s Muslim community, saying that as a country with the world’s biggest Muslim population, Indonesia can build a support system to succeed together in the Muslim fashion industry. 

 

UK blogger Zinah said the gathering was quite a rare mix because it was hard to get Muslim bloggers together in London with the challenges mostly coming from people’s competitiveness and their busy schedules. 

 

In the discussion, the bloggers stated their admiration that the Hijup designers found their way to be creative within the box of rules from the Islamic clothing requirements. 

 

The designers stated that they agreed to show the beauty of Islam through fashion designs that represent their identities as Muslims, which sets them apart from international brands’ approaches to fashion. 

 

“We have Islamic values and we know what we want,” said Jenahara.