London just hosted its first modest fashion week. Here's a glimpse

As London celebrated style in its annual fashion week (February 17-21, 2017), a fashion even of a different kind was being held in another part of the city: the United Kingdom's very first modest fashion week.

Organized by Haute Elan, an online modest fashion marketplace, the London Modest Fashion Week (LMFW) brought together more than forty designers from countries including the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Turkey and ­Malaysia. 

After Indonesian fashion designer Anniesa Hasibuan made history with all-hijab shows at New York Fashion Week, LMFW proved once again that modest-wear deserves a spot in the global fashion industry.

"The fastest growing global consumer is at the moment the Muslim market," LMFW organizer and founder of Haute Elan, Romanna Bint-Abubaker, told Sky News.

The two-day event was open to the public and took place at a contemporary art gallery in London over the weekend. 

Attendees included Egyptian fashion blogger Dina Torkia, Emirati fashion designer Rabia Zargarpur, and Saudi Arabian television personality Muna AbuSulayman, as well as top Muslim and Arab influencers, stylists and designers. 

The show was not exclusive to Muslim or hijab-wearing women, but rather targeted women of all faiths and cultures who like a little bit more coverage. 

Here's a glimpse:

LMFW attendees turned London's streets into their own runways, showcasing the latest fashion trends with a modest twist.

"I want to show that you can coincide faith with fashion and that there are Muslim women who actually represent that," fashion blogger and Youtube superstar Dina Torkia told Blogosphere magazine.

Torkio shed light on the role Muslim social media influencers have played in the fight for representation in the fashion industry. She told Middle East Eye that LMFW was "a way for us to reclaim what we started, rather than mainstream brands telling us how to do it".

Hijab-wearing women and those who opt for modest attire are part and parcel of the fashion industry; fashion giants are gradually taking that into account. 

Dolce & Gabbana and DKNY have created products specifically for customers seeking modest attire. Similarly, Marks and Spencer's 2016 Spring and Summer collection featured a burkini, which quickly sold out.

Earlier this month, Debenhams announced that it will become the first major department store in the UK to sell hijabs. The chain store is set to introduce a section exclusive for modest wear.

With Islamophobia on the rise and Islamic attire putting a target on the backs of Muslims living in the West, we hope modest wear will become part of the global fashion industry, promoting understanding and diversity.