The rise of Islamic fashion has seen a seamless segue onto the high street in recent years.
Muslim women reportedly spend approximately £34 billion on modest fashion, according to the State of Global Islamic Economy Report, produced by Thomson Reuters in collaboration with Dinar Standard.
Manchester designer Yasmin Sobeih has taken this concept and has parleyed it into her own brand of modest sportswear.
Yasmin, created UNDER-RAPT during her postgraduate degree in fashion buying and merchandising at the London College of Fashion.
Yasmin said, “As an English-Egyptian Muslim, I have been fortunate to travel and explore both cultures and have always expressed my joys for both traditions, embracing both sides of my ethnicity.
“I have been particularly intrigued with how fashion and lifestyles are becoming more integrated in today’s modern societies through social media, retail globalisation and multi-channelling.
“As a healthy lifestyle and fitness enthusiast I suppose it came naturally to me to want to create an Athleisure wear brand.
“I noticed that many friends and family who preferred to cover when working out had the struggle of their hijabs falling off, plus being uncomfortably hot with their layering of clothes.
“It was evident that there was very little modest sportswear available on the market that was catered to a modest consumer.”
Yasmin uses only eco-friendly and organic fabrics, marking UNDER-RAPT as the first global sustainable, modest ‘Athleisure’ wear brand.
The Business of Fashion reported on January 2 2018, that ‘Millennials in particular are interested in more-sustainable solutions; 66 percent of global Millennials are willing to spend more on brands that are sustainable.’
Yasmin says she is proud to be able to fill this gap in the market.
“There’s a growing demand for Activewear that has not only been driven for sport activity but for everyday fashion and style. High street brands focus on design and high-tech fabrics.
“Yet, none of these mainstream brands offer dedicated organic collections or larger exclusive modest sportswear ranges.
“So, I combined these concepts to overcome previous fashion and sportswear restraints and offer sustainable, eco-friendly modest wear to empower and motivate women globally to participate in living healthier.”
Whilst UNDER-RAPT conforms to Muslim women, Yasmin says her product has been mindfully designed to satisfy all women, regardless of faith, who prefer ‘modest’ sportswear.
“We see quite a high percentage of non-Muslim fitness advocates purchase the product specifically when hosting POP-UP stores in the UK and Dubai as they admire the ultra-soft and smooth organic fabric.”
UNDER-RAPT was commissioned by San Francisco's de Young Museum to showcase the product for their 'Contemporary Muslim Fashions Exhibition.'
The face of the exhibition was Halima Aden, the first Hijabi model to walk New York Fashion Week and feature on the cover of Vogue.
The brand has also been working with basketball player, poet and public speaker Asma Elbadawai who lifted the hijab ban in FIBA.
Yasmin has also connected with sports star Mani Rostom, founder of ‘surviving Hijabs’ and pro-Nike Hijab Ambassador.
Yasmin added, “In today’s modern societies where women are ambitious and strive for success, I believe a modest woman oozes confidence and class. A modest woman shines through her personality.
"She is self-assured in the way she walks, talks and presents herself in any circumstance.”
This article was featured in the March 2019 edition of Asian Life North West
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