Had you ventured to Houston’s Hall of Flags this past Sunday, you probably would’ve seen (or heard, better yet), the Muslim Students Association’s Fashion Show. However, the show was far from what you might expect when you hear the words “fashion show.” Rather than showcasing the hottest names in fashion or highlighting recent trends, the show featured Islamic clothing from all corners of the globe; the show was fittingly called “Modesty Around the World.”
The runway portion of the event was separated by region; Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East. Each separate show was accompanied by music native to that region and punctuated by a meal, during which food of that region was also served to the audience. All together, these elements brought life to the show, making it more accessible (as well as tasty) to those unfamiliar with these parts of the world.
The show generated a very positive response from the crowd, with college sophomore Brittney stating, “I really enjoyed it. I thought all the garments were very beautiful. I think for people unfamiliar with these places it shows that the garments can vary…and for them it was very informative. Overall I thought the event was a success.”
One of the planners of the event, Wharton sophomore, Nuvid Bhuiyan, stated that one of her reasons for holding the event was to showcase the clothing from all these cultures since “a lot of people don’t understand that being Muslim doesn’t mean wearing a burka or a hijab.” Besides just being a showcase for beautiful and exotic Muslim fashions, the event also explored themes pertaining to identity and representation of self – themes applicable to anyone, especially those interested in the fashion world. She added, “Fashion to me…it’s being happy with what you’re wearing.”
Here are just a few of the extravagant and beautiful pieces that were featured:
