When Maryam Asadullah first posted a picture of herself in one of her many stylish outfits on Instagram a few years ago, several people she didn’t know started following her account. Unnerved by the unsolicited attention, she promptly set her account to private and moved on. But soon she realized that people wanted to follow her because she was offering something that mainstream fashion brands were not: a fusion of modesty and style that increasingly resonates with young Muslim women.
“I’ve always been a girl known to dress myself well and be a ‘stylish hijabi,’” says Asadullah, who subsequently unlocked her account and started posting pictures of herself in various ensembles that are both elegant yet modest a few times a week. (While interpretations vary, Islam dictates that both men and women dress in clothing that is not revealing or immodest.)