Approaches to the wardrobe challenges of Muslim women in the west

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1155-1173
Author(s):  
Wafaa H. Shafee
Keyword(s):  
Community Integration ◽  
Muslim Women ◽  
Western Society ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Dress Code ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Brands ◽  
Women's Clothing ◽  
Clothing Choices

Purpose This study aims to identify the challenges of Muslim women in terms of their dress code in Western society by including their clothing needs in the strategies of the fashion industry and marketing. The study focuses on wardrobe choices that have helped overcome these challenges and facilitated Muslim women’s integration into western society. Design/methodology/approach Descriptive statistics were used in this study through a questionnaire that was distributed among 265 randomly selected Muslim women in London, UK. The results have been presented in charts showing the percentages and frequencies of the different behaviors and challenges that were faced by Muslim women in the west. Findings The majority of the study sample preferred to use a variety of modern fashion trends from global brands to integrate with the community. The essential criteria for the Muslim women’s clothing choices include head hair cover and conservative full-length clothes that are non-transparent that cover the neck and chest area. Originality/value A study has investigated the clothing needs and behaviors of Muslim women in the west for their community integration. It analyzed the results and linked them with the role and contributions of designers, producers and fashion marketers in accepting the western society of Muslims and their integration with its members.

Factors influencing fashion consciousness in hijab fashion consumption among hijabistas

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 476-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Hasnah Hassan ◽  
Harmimi Harun
Keyword(s):  
Muslim Women ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Kuala Lumpur ◽  
Dress Code ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Fashion Products ◽  
The People ◽  
Fashion Consciousness ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a method to understand the predictors of hijab fashion consciousness and consumption. Muslim women in developing countries have evolved from living a traditional to a modern lifestyle, as more women become more educated, work and earn their own money. As modern sophisticated Muslim women, they have transformed themselves in the way they dress and don their hijab while adhering to the Shariah-compliant dress code. As a result, hijab fashion among hijabistas “Muslim women who wear fashionable outfits with matching fashionable headscarves” is flourishing. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected using questionnaires distributed to Muslim women who visited the Kuala Lumpur International Hijab Fashion Fair 2014 using the convenience sampling method. A total of 345 final useable data were used for data analysis using SmartPLS. Findings Results show that dressing style, fashion motivation, fashion uniqueness and sources of fashion knowledge positively influence fashion consciousness and indirectly influence hijab fashion consumption. Practical implications Results of this paper will provide insights to the people involved in the fashion industry, such as designers, retailers and marketers, to understand the hijabista market segment. Practitioners can design proper hijab fashion products that are Shariah-compliant to capture the segment of Muslim women with proper marketing strategies. Originality/value The fashion of Muslim women, particularly the hijab fashion, has received little attention in the fashion literature. This paper hopes to provide new insights to relevant researchers and industries.

Thematic analysis of hijab fashion from Muslim clothing retailers perspective

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Siti Hasnah Hassan ◽  
Husna Ara
Keyword(s):  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Muslim Women ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Dress Code ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Muslim Identity ◽  
Consumer Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Image ◽  
New Perspective

Purpose The desire to find a new look of expressing the Muslim identity in society has led to a renewal of Muslim women’s interest in fashion. This allows fashion players to make trendy clothing and expand their business to meet the rising needs of Muslim women. Thus, this study aims to explore the concept of hijab fashion from the perspective of Islamic clothing retailers in Malaysia. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected qualitatively using semi-structured interviews and analysed using a deductive thematic analysis. Findings This exploratory study describes hijab fashion as a representation of clothing for ideal contemporary Muslim women that enhances the beauty in Islamic outfits from the perspective of Islamic clothing retailers. Hijab fashion has emerged as a modern form of the modest dress code in accordance with Islamic guidelines representing the hijaber identity. It is not just a veil to cover the awrah but also represents the impression of fashionableness and modernity, reflecting the self-image, trendy style and personality representing the true ideal Muslim women, who are known as Muslimah. Research limitations/implications The sample and findings are based exclusively on the perception of retailers directly involved in Malaysia’s Islamic fashion business. Practical implications The findings from this study benefit the fashion retailers, Islamic fashion industry players and policymakers by highlighting the importance of providing appropriate products and services concerning the growth of Muslim consumer market and their spending behaviour. Originality/value The findings offer a new perspective on the nature of the phenomenon of hijaber fashion as a symbol of the modern Muslim woman from the viewpoint of Islamic fashion practitioners.

scholarly journals Markus Dressler, Ron Geaves, and Gritt Klinkhammer, eds. Sufis in Western Society

2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 135-138
Author(s):  
Elliott Bazzano
Keyword(s):  
Muslim Women ◽  
Core Region ◽  
Western Society ◽  
Lived Religion ◽  
The West ◽  
False Dichotomy ◽  
2 Peter

Contributors to the volume, Raudvere and Gaši, skillfully note that “cherished,unfamiliar or rejected—attitudes of Sufism are seldom neutral”(163). If one traces the evolution of Sufism to Western lands, this aneutralityis accentuated. Thus, Sufism in the West is understandably a growing ifunderstudied field. There is a dearth of surveys on the topic, and this makesadditional attention to global networking and locality especially welcome.The authors seek to challenge the romantic and literary biases of Orientalistscholarship, and the eleven chapters rise to the occasion because mostfocus on particular living Sufi communities.The opening chapters set the methodological tone. In the Introduction,the editors emphasize “Sufism as a lived religion” and they rightly acknowledgethat Sufism often acts “as a bridge between Eastern and Westernspiritual or mystical philosophy” (4). In Chapter 2, Peter Beyer usesthe term glocalization while arguing that “as globalized structures, religionsare no longer . . . regional affairs which can be understood primarilywith reference to a particular core region” (13). He narrates a story of twoCanadian Muslim women who might experience different kinds of beliefand practice on a spectrum of religiosity. Strangely, however, only oncein the article does he mention “Sufism,” and the false dichotomy “Sufi/scriptural,” which contrasts with the major concepts in the book, such asthe primacy of the Qur’an for many Sufis ...

Does religiosity impact Moroccan Muslim women’s clothing choice?

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 210-226 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine Bachleda ◽  
Nicolas Hamelin ◽  
Oumaima Benachour
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Choice ◽  
Muslim Women ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
Women's Clothing ◽  
Clothing Style ◽  
Public Setting ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Moroccan Muslim Women ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore whether religiosity impacts the clothing style Moroccan Muslim women choose to wear in the public setting. Design/methodology/approach – The framework chosen for this study was the theory of planned behaviour. Data were gathered by a questionnaire administered to 950 Muslim women located throughout in Morocco. Findings – Results indicate that a woman’s religiosity cannot be determined simply by what she wears, with age, marital status and education found to have far greater impact on a woman’s choice of clothing than religiosity. Practical implications – In countries where women have freedom to choose what they wear, Muslims should not be treated homogeneously, but rather as a heterogeneous segment with different social classes, different sects and different ways of expressing and experiencing their faith in daily life. Originality/value – Currently there is limited literature that explores the relationship between religiosity and a woman’s choice of dress, outside of the hijab. Moreover, in spite of the significance of religion in the lives of many individuals, its role in consumer choice is not clear. This research provides some clarity within the context of clothing choice for Moroccan Muslim women.

Are customers satisfied? Study of the problems currently prevailing in the plus size women’s wear market in Sri Lanka

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (3) ◽  
pp. 211-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niromi Seram ◽  
Kethmini Kumarasiri
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
The Body ◽  
Sri Lankan ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Product Categories ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Women's Clothing

Purpose Plus size clothing is becoming a fashion trend worldwide due to the body positivity movement sparked off by the growing obesity rates and fat shaming incidents reported around the world. Although the problems relating to plus size clothing in the global context have been addressed, thereby establishing certain norms in the market, none of this work has proved helpful in assessing the level of customer satisfaction in the Sri Lankan plus size market. In view of this lacuna, this paper aims to probe customer preferences and identify the problems currently prevailing in the plus size women’s wear fashion market in Sri Lanka. Design/methodology/approach Data were gathered through both qualitative and quantitative methods. For this purpose, visits were made to several fashion outlets in the Colombo area offering plus size clothing to observe the available product categories, size ranges, fabrics, finishing methods and designs at each outlet. A closed-ended questionnaire survey was conducted to identify the perception of the customers on the current plus size fashion market. Semi-structured interviews with designers working at selected Sri Lankan fashion brands that catered to the plus size market were carried out to acquire an understanding of the current plus size fashion industry from the garment manufacturer’s perspective and to learn about the current construction techniques in the industry. Findings The results indicated that 55.6% of the plus size women who participated in the survey were either dissatisfied or only moderately satisfied with the current products available in the Sri Lankan market. The major cause for the dissatisfaction was the inability to find well-fitting clothes to suit their body proportions and the unavailability of trendy, fashionable clothes. Ideally, they preferred fashionable, comfortable, well-fitting and good quality garments. Unavailability of standardized sizing methods and lack of up-to-date information on the female body were identified as the main issues in the Sri Lankan plus size women’s wear market. Therefore, the necessity for a standardized size chart for plus size women based on Sri Lankan anthropometric data was emphasized by designers. Originality/value The findings will be useful for the Sri Lankan apparel producers as well as retailers as they will have a better understanding of not only the fit and aesthetic preferences but also the overall shopping preferences of plus size women. This will help them to develop marketing strategies to cater to this Sri Lankan niche market segment, as currently there is no documented information on plus size Sri Lankan women’s clothing preferences.

Muslim women contribution to economic activities: a viewpoint

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne Ridley
Keyword(s):  
Adam Smith ◽  
Muslim Women ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Role ◽  
Women In Business ◽  
Keynote Speech ◽  
The University ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to highlight the role of Muslim women in economic activities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a historical account on the important role played by Muslim women in business and governance during the Islamic formative years. Findings – While women in the West still struggle with the rights to equal position and pay till today, Islamic teaching provides Muslim women with the rights to earn and spend as they wished as well as selected to lead economic activities based on their personal merit and wisdom. Practical implications – The paper highlights that Islamic Sharia does not discriminate Muslim women economically nor socially as often portrayed in the Western media. Islam outlines the specific rights and obligations of men and women to ensure development of a healthy society. Social implications – Society should appreciate that Islamic Sharia work out favourably for women. They are trusted to lead based on their own merit and wisdom and not for their beauty. Originality/value – This is a keynote speech delivered at the Islamic Perspective of Accounting, Finance, Economics and Management (IPAFEM) 2015 conference: 7th-9th April, Adam Smith Business School, The University of Glasgow – on the economic role played by early Muslim women.

The role of Muslim women in managing the family during crisis: corona pandemic as a model

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haifa F. Fawaris
Keyword(s):  
Significant Role ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Analytical Approach ◽  
Muslim Women ◽  
Muslim Woman ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Results ◽  
The Family ◽  
Mental Characteristics

Purpose This study aims to clarify the role of Muslim women in managing their families during the corona pandemic crisis. To achieve this aim, the researcher applied the descriptive and analytical approach. Design/methodology/approach The Muslim women have had a prominent position consistent with the physical, psychological and mental characteristics that Allah has created them. This status is shown by: affirming their rights in all areas of life; affirming everything that preserved the dignity of women before Islam; and correcting all the conditions that detracted their dignity before the advent of Islam and making them responsible in public Islamic life on the level of: preserving Islam, spreading the Islamic call and achieving the civilization advancement of the Muslim nation. Findings The study resulted in many significant results. The most important one of the study results was that, in the context of woman rights and responsibilities she had assumed in Islam, the Muslim woman had a prominent position in Islam. In addition, the mother in the Muslim family had a significant role as a leader, who is capable of managing the family in corona crisis and supporting family members in all aspects such as faith, intellectual endeavors, psychological, social and health, so that they are real leaders. Originality/value The study recommends carrying out educational studies that identify and show the role of institutions other than the family in managing emergency crises.

“Enabling circular business models in the fashion industry: the role of digital innovation”

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Phuc Hong Huynh
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Chain Model ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Digital Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Radical Innovations

PurposeDigital innovation and circular business model innovation are two critical enablers of a circular economy. A wide variety of digital technologies such as blockchain, 3D printing, cyber-physical systems, or big data also diverges the applications of digital technologies in circular business models. Given heterogeneous attributes of circular business models and digital technologies, the selections of digital technologies and circular business models might be highly distinctive within and between sectorial contexts. This paper examines digital circular business models in the context of the fashion industry and its multiple actors. This industry as the world’s second polluting industry requires an urgent circular economy (CE) transition with less resource consumption, lower waste emissions and a more stable economy.Design/methodology/approachAn inductive, exploratory multiple-case study method is employed to investigate the ten cases of different sized fashion companies (i.e. large, small medium-sized firm (SME) and startup firms). The comparison across cases is conducted to understand fashion firms' distinct behaviours in adopting various digital circular economy strategies.FindingsThe paper presents three archetypes of digital-based circular business models in the fashion industry: the blockchain-based supply chain model, the service-based model and the pull demand-driven model. Besides incremental innovations, the radical business model and digital innovations as presented in the pull demand-driven model may be crucial to the fashion circular economy transition. The pull demand–driven model may shift the economy from scales to scopes, change the whole process of how the fashion items are forecasted, produced, and used, and reform consumer behaviours. The paths of adopting digital fashion circular business models are also different among large, SMEs and startup fashion firms.Practical implicationsThe study provides business managers with empirical insights on how circular business models (CBMs) should be chosen according to intrinsic business capacities, technological competences and CE strategies. The emerging trends of new fashion markets (e.g. rental, subscription) and consumers' sustainable awareness should be not be neglected. Moreover, besides adopting recycling and reuse strategies, large fashion incumbents consider collaborating with other technology suppliers and startup companies to incubate more radical innovations.Social implicationsAppropriate policies and regulations should be enacted to enable the digital CE transition. Market patterns and consumer acceptances are considered highly challenging to these digital fashion models. A balanced policy on both the demand and supply sides are suggested. The one-side policy may fail CBMs that entail an upside-down collaboration of both producers and consumers. Moreover, it is perhaps time to rethink how to reduce unnecessary new demand rather than repeatedly producing and recycling.Originality/valueThe pace of CE research is lagging far behind the accelerating environmental contamination by the fashion industry. The study aims to narrow the gap between theory and practice to harmonise fashion firms' orchestration and accelerate the transition of the fashion industry towards the CE. This study examines diverse types of digital technologies in different circular business models in a homogeneous context of the fashion industry with heterogeneous firm types.

Hijabista willingness to accept premium pricing: an analytical study of the effect of social and self-identity on hijab fashion brands satisfaction

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alshaimaa Bahgat Alanadoly ◽  
Suha Fouad Salem
Keyword(s):  
Willingness To Pay ◽  
Product Design ◽  
Consumer Satisfaction ◽  
Willingness To Accept ◽  
Fashion Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Self Identity ◽  
Fashion Products ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Brand Satisfaction

Purpose This paper aims to study the predictors influencing hijabista satisfaction towards Hijab fashion brands and their willingness to pay premium pricing as fashion consumers. The effects of product design, product quality, social and self-identity have been studied in relation to product, and brand satisfaction is believed to have led to acceptance of premium pricing. Various factors have been studied and analysed to provide a better understanding of Hijab fashion consumer behaviour. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected by using online structured surveys distributed within the area of Shah Alam City in Malaysia. Convenience sampling was used in defining the 223 target respondents, and the collected data was analysed using Smart-PLS Software. Findings The results highlighted that product design has the largest influence on the willingness of hijabistas in paying premium prices, followed by products that reflect their social-identity while communicating their religious obligations and commitments. Communicating one’s self-identity was also found not to have a significant impact which relates to the importance of the religious and social commitments on hijabista purchasing choices rather than their own self-conceptual image. Practical implications This paper provides insights on the factors that affect hijabista satisfaction towards Hijab fashion products and brands. Conclusions provided are very relevant to the practices of the fashion industry, and in particular, for designers to understand the needs of this large and significant segment of the fashion market. Originality/value Hijab fashion is a growing segment in the fashion industry, and it has been gaining recent global attention. Designers need to be more aware of the requirements of this segment of the fashion market. This research focusses on Hijab consumer satisfaction and how this reflects their willingness to pay premium prices for chosen products and brands. Factors such as product design and quality, along with social and self-identity, were studied in connection with hijabista willingness to accept premium pricing. Such connections and terms have not been covered in previous literature.

Disinformation is a rising security threat to the West

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Intelligence ◽  
Social Media ◽  
The United States ◽  
Step Change ◽  
Media Discourse ◽  
Security Threat ◽  
The West ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Synthetic Media ◽  
Victims Of Bullying

Significance Articles containing the bogus quotes were shared across social media globally. The case illustrates how disinformation is created and spread for malign influence, and its ease of entry into social media discourse, which makes it so difficult to untangle and counter. Impacts Political polarisation within the United States is impeding a 'whole of society' response. Russian and Chinese disinformation campaigns will claim the two nations are falsely accused victims of bullying by envious foes. Artificial intelligence-created synthetic media such as deepfakes will enable a step-change in the sophistication of 'infowars'.

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