Modest fashion is gaining recognition as a growing segment of the global fashion industry, with designers increasingly finding ways to combine elegance, creativity and contemporary trends.
This growing appeal was on display in Nairobi on Saturday as the inaugural Nairobi Modest Fashion Show 2026 brought together designers, models, creatives and fashion enthusiasts for an evening of runway showcases.
Organised by lifestyle brand Marquevue, the event featured collections from at least 15 fashion brands, including Phase VII, Nazalm Couture, Nilotika, The Munira Atelier and Yas Bridal, among others.
The show comes at a time when the modest fashion market is attracting increasing global attention.
Muslim spending on fashion is forecast to reach $433 by 2028, according to DinarStandard’s State of the Global Islamic Economy report, as luxury brands, department stores and trend forecasters increasingly recognise modest fashion as one of the industry's fastest-growing consumer markets.
Speaking to Radio Generation during the event, Marjan Hussein, Founder and CEO of Marquevue, said Kenya's modest fashion industry has significant potential but still has room for growth.
“Since I'm a modest fashion consumer and I have been around a lot of modest fashion consumers, in my mind I would say it is big. But looking at a wider perspective or a wider lens, I would say it has room to grow,” Marjan said.
She said the inspiration behind the show was to create a platform where modest fashion consumers, designers and brands could interact and celebrate their shared interest.
“I wanted to create a space for the modest fashion consumers to celebrate modesty in the modern lifestyle, and also bring together designers and brands and consumers in one single place,” she said.
Marjan added that Marquevue views modesty as a lifestyle choice rather than something defined by culture or religion.
“At Marquevue, modesty is not backed by culture or religion. It is backed by lifestyle choice. People choose to dress modestly for a reason, and I want to really drive the narrative of people to stop thinking modesty is a religious kind of attire. It's a lifestyle,” she added.
Speaking at the event, Nairobi Woman Representative Esther Passaris also hailed the industry, saying it presents opportunities for Kenyan designers, entrepreneurs and local textile producers.
“Modest fashion is a global industry, and Kenyan designers have a place in it. I promote local fabrics and local tailoring because every order can create work here at home,” said Passaris.
“Customers want choice and deserve good value. So when we ask people to buy Kenyan, let's give them every reason to come back.”
Delight Technical College Principal and Founder Saitoti Meitamei said modest fashion should not be viewed as a limitation on creativity.
“For far too long, people have talked about modest fashion as if it's a limit, as if covering up means you have to hold back. Tonight proves the opposite is true. Modesty is not a limit to creativity,” he said.
Looking ahead, Marjan said Marquevue hopes to expand the modest-fashion trend beyond Nairobi and promote it across Kenya and Africa.
“I think we are trying to create a room that is really small or non-existent; trying to really push the agenda of celebrating modesty in Nairobi and pushing it to Kenya and Africa at large,” she concluded.