New Delhi: The fashion industry no longer sees the hijab as a niche, cultural product. It sees a wardrobe essential and a fast growing business. Japanese retailer Uniqlo will launch its first standalone hijab collection in Malaysia on 17 August, becoming the latest global brand to expand its modest fashion offerings. The move reflects a broader shift in the fashion industry, where clothing designed for women who prefer greater coverage has moved from specialist boutiques to mainstream retailers and luxury runways.
The collection, launched under Uniqlo’s LifeWear label, includes three styles—AIRism, Satin and Georgette. The AIRism hijab is made from the brand’s signature moisture-wicking, quick-drying fabric with UV protection, designed for hot and humid climates. The Satin version is aimed at dressier occasions, while the lightweight Georgette style focuses on comfort and drape.
While this is Uniqlo’s first dedicated hijab range, the company has been part of the modest fashion movement for over a decade. In 2015, it partnered with British-Japanese designer Hana Tajima to launch a modest-wear collection featuring hijabs, long dresses and loose-fitting separates. The collaboration debuted in Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand before expanding to Western markets, helping bring modest fashion into the mainstream offerings of a global brand.
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Modest fashion
Uniqlo is far from alone. Over the past decade, several international labels have entered the modest fashion space. Nike launched the Pro Hijab for Muslim athletes in 2017, while Dolce & Gabbana introduced luxury abayas and shaylas. Brands including H&M, Tommy Hilfiger, Mango and DKNY have released Ramadan collections or featured hijab-wearing models in global campaigns, while designers such as Jean Paul Gaultier and Michael Kors have incorporated hijabs into runway collections.
The announcement has generated mixed reactions online. Many users welcomed the collection as a step towards greater representation, saying it reflects the diversity of Uniqlo’s global customer base and makes functional, everyday hijabs more widely accessible. Others criticised the move, with some calling for a boycott of the Japanese retailer.
The debate comes as modest fashion has firmly entered the mainstream. What was once viewed as a niche category is today a multi-billion-dollar global industry, driven by a young, digitally connected Muslim population with growing purchasing power. For retailers, offering hijabs and modest wear is increasingly less about making a symbolic statement and more about serving a customer base that expects the same combination of functionality, quality and style available in every other fashion category.
(Edited by Janaki Pande)