The Middle East Plus Size Fashion Bloggers are finally coming together to launch our first outfit collaboration! The #MEPSBloggers have decided to create a stylish summer-inspired lookbook, featuring the different trends of this "mucho caliente" season!

Well, this is a first time for all of us! 2017, the year that brought you London Modest Fashion Week, a brand new addition to London’s renowned Fashion Frenzy. Before we get started on the amazing collections and designers the show featured, let’s just admire the amazing effort and organization put into this event hosted by Haute Elan.

So what is it that makes LMFW so different to any other shows that were on during the week?
We spoke to a few lovely attendees and asked them what modesty means to them!

Sarah J – "For me, Modesty in fashion is all about not letting clothing define who you are and what your brain is filled with. Yes, what you’re wearing gives a first impression, but it’s not the lasting one. I think it’s amazing to finally get to represent our modest clothing to the world without being looked down upon, or accused off being less modern."

Jasmine A – "For years I have been wearing Abayas and loose clothing, people viewed it as not trendy and closed off, but now seeing all these amazing designs that reflect us as Muslims, here at a worldwide event, makes the wait and suffering worth it."

Noura K – "London Fashion Week just got a whole lot better, and now it caters to a huge majority in England, you don’t have to be Muslim to be modest, the designs are amazing and I can’t wait to see them on the runway"

It was amazing to see such beautiful individuals all here to support one cause, Modest Fashion!
And it wasn’t just the designers that stole the runway, our favourite bloggers and business women were also there to support the cause, Dina Tokio, Zukreat, Nabila Bee and many more!

Let’s not forget the variety of attendees and their show-stopping modest fashion! It was beautiful to see people from all ethnicities, from Malasian to African, Arab to Pakistani, all attending in their array of colours and styles.



Let’s have a quick look of some of the amazing designers and brands that were at the show!

Are you ready for summer yet? Omirizwa Gupta definitely is!
Bold, bright colours and patterns lighting up the room. This collection features patterns you probably won’t see anywhere else from birds to heels and even graphic faces! Modest is definitely the way to go this summer, with wide leg trousers, and loose chiffon tops for that maximum comfort and breeze!

HIJABI HEAVEN
A huge part of London Modest Fashion Week, Hijabs! Every Hijabi is on the quest to find the perfect one, whether its material, colour or design.

Foulard Hijabs, another extravagant designer all the way from Saudi Arabia. This line of hijabs screams elegance and class. A soft voile material, lined with gold embroidery in vast deep shades, perfect for those special occasions!

Luna’s Essentials was one of my favourite Hijab Designers, mainly because of the delicate lace addition to the scarves. A super lightweight material and an array of pastels and browns to match every occasion.

THE MODERN TWIST ON THE ABAYA
Their spring collection focuses on lace and crochet styles in white and cream, using a black contrast to give a classic look. They also love to explore shades of taupes, mauves and dusty pinks, which is always going to be trendy!

Selezza (London)

The idea of transforming abayas into dresses has really kicked off in the past few years, giving them more shape, colour and intricate designs. Some people might find it easier to style a dress than an abaya, as it’s not something new to them, and has slowly become a fashion choice for hijabis and non hijabis too!

The transition to modest fashion is happening!

{100 shades of Abaya}
Ferdaje was by far the most elegant of abaya designers at the show, with a huge variety of styles designs, and every piece made to perfection.

The nude collection by Ferdaje

I’ve never seen such a versatile collection before, especially in terms of lighter colours, experimenting with whites and creams, finished with pearl details.

Wide sleeves have become a ‘tradition’ in abayas now, adding such elegance, as well as the contrast in the sleeve colour, shown in nearly every abaya.

Ferdaje's classic black and cream collection

Going back to the classic black abayas, Ferdaje brought in new ideas to break the norm. A beautiful embroidered design, shown on the right with white netting, pearls and beadings, almost as an accessory to the abaya. Another favourite was the black embellished abaya with gold gems, again adding a touch of glam.

Let’s have a look at a few runway styles!

ALL KHAKI
Ummiraz blessed the runway with all khaki designs that mixed traditional dress with modern day trends, from flared drapes, tribal designs, and so many ruffles! Who knew you could do so much with Khaki?

Here were my favourite looks from the show...


ALL OUT ON VELVET
MASELA Kuala Lumpar showed us just how versatile velvet can be in all shades!

Thin Strapped Velvet dresses are so in this season. The rich colour just emphasizes the feel of velvet!

More emphasis on the back! An open back drape with a cute bow

READY FOR A NIGHT OF GLAMOR?
A.Sahee brought us the gorgeous Burgundy Sparkle gown, any girl's dream. Embroidered with a graphic zigzag design, paired with a gold belt and a fur shawl, this would be my choice for an extravagant gala or wedding.

Another piece from the collection was this gold dress, a regal design fit for a queen.
Using a Damascus print all over, expresses its authenticity, almost an Arab vibe.

What I loved most about these two pieces was that they defined modesty to me.
Both maxi dresses, with long sleeves, proving to us how effortless modesty can be, without the hassle of wearing multiple layers underneath! I really do hope the fashion industry go towards this goal of modest fashion, it makes our lives as hijabis much easier, not stressing out about an open back top or too short sleeves!

There were so many designers over the 2 days and it was great getting a chance to speak to them and listen to their ideas on modesty and what they want to bring into the fashion industry!

Other designers featured in the show: iiLA, Leenaz, A. Sahee, byxmez, Avyaana Abaya.

Modesty comes in all shades and designs, and I’m so proud to represent such a huge campaign.
The amount of effort these designers put into each piece is incredible, and we’re all looking forward to the show in 2018.


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Review by Naira Ghanem from Touch of Sparkle

My name is Hanane Fathallah and I am Lebanese plus size fashion blogger. I started my blog Nounzilicious back in 2013. At the time, I was still living in Saudi Arabia. I was trying to voice out my concerns about social acceptance and fashion needs, but due to the conservatism of the country, I didn't have the complete liberty to be loud and proactive. Alongside my minimal activity on my blog, I wrote articles for a couple of regional women magazines, in hopes of shedding light on the issues I advocate, like plus size fashion and body positivity. I just recently moved to Dubai and the tables have turned since then.