It was 1995. My parents had just returned from their honeymoon-slash-Umrah trip. They were newlyweds, newly practising. And for my mum especially, it was a new identity: she had just started wearing the hijab.
Now, the struggle was real. That phrase probably didn’t exist back then – but the situation surely did. Like so many women stepping into modest fashion for the first time, she was excited. But the options at the time? Non-existent.
Nothing felt ideal. Nothing was made for UK weather – or for the working woman. There wasn’t a single modest piece she could wear to work without layering awkwardly or feeling frumpy.
So she turned to her husband. At the time, my dad had just closed the chapter on his mainstream fashion career, with outlets in London’s South Kensington and Manchester’s Royal Exchange.
He came from a family of artisans – design was second nature to him. Raised by a mother who would sew everything from scratch, and surrounded by older sisters with immense talent in textiles and tailoring, he grew up immersed in it all.
Mum expressed her need for something practical, yet contemporary to fit in with her environment. Bearing in mind there was little to no hijab-clad women then. Something like an abaya, a modest overcoat – but cut in a durable, climate-suitable fabric. He understood the brief. Instantly.
So he created something from scratch: a modest, padded raincoat. Long. Weatherproof. Functional. And oh-so-stylish. With actual pockets (imagine). It wasn’t just a fashion statement. It was a solution. The first of many pieces that would quietly shape what we now call modest fashion in the UK.
She wore it to a conference. And that’s when it happened.
“It was supposed to be just for me… but the moment I stepped out, everything changed. People started asking: ‘Where did you get that??’ ‘Can you make me one!?’ ‘Please start selling these – I need it!”
That moment was just the beginning.
What began as a response to a need quickly became something more. My mum – encouraged by her friends and fuelled by their praise, support, and constant “you need to make more!” – began turning it into something bigger. Guided by her marketing degree, she took charge behind the scenes. While my dad focused on design, she laid the foundation. This was her brainchild just as much as it was his craft.
They didn’t set out to build a business. They were simply responding to what they – and so many other women – needed: Practical, modest clothing beautifully designed for real life in Britain. Garments made by people who actually understood good style and could combine that with dressing modestly in the UK.
They called it Islamic Libas. And together, they began creating from home – one handmade abaya at a time.
They travelled across the country to Islamic events and conferences, selling abayas and tailored jilbabs directly to women who, like my mum, were desperate for something better. The pieces were practical, yes – but also beautiful in an understated, tailored way.
Wool blends. English tweeds. Japanese crepes. Irish Linens. Moroccan voile. The UK’s earliest jilbaab and khimar styles. Even menswear. Everything sewn in-house, with care.
“Back then, there was no such thing as “modest fashion influencers.” It wasn’t about trends. Just a couple rooted in faith and community – responding to real need.
By 2009, after years of travelling to conferences and word-of-mouth sales, they launched their first website. In 2011, they rebranded as Abayas Boutique, opened the flagship boutique, and became one of the leading designer modest fashion brands with both a physical and global digital presence.
Even now, we remain proudly family-run. We still design in-house. We still work directly with skilled artisans in the Middle East. We’ve grown, but never at the expense of what we started with: sincerity, modesty, and uncompromising quality.
And honestly? It feels like we’ve come full circle. Today, the need of practical modest pieces is still here. Only now, on a bigger scale.
Women still want modest clothing that feels modern, stylish, and wearable – whether it’s an abaya for work, a travel-friendly jilbab, a modest outfit for uni, or something appropriate for weddings, Umrah, or Hajj.
That’s why some of our current pieces are a deliberate nod to the early days.
Our Corduroy Abayas – practical, durable, and effortlessly stylish – echo the bestsellers my parents used to make by hand throughout the ’90s and 2000s. And the Linen Trench Abaya carries the same purpose: modest, structured outerwear designed for real British summers, formal occasions, and professional life.
We’ve never followed fast fashion. And we never will.
We still have customers proudly wearing pieces they bought from us over 15 years ago – a testament to design that withstand the test of time.
Because it was never about the clothes. It’s always been about the women who wear them – and what they stand for.
Established in 1995, Abayas Boutique is a British family-owned brand that designs and ethically crafts iconic in-house pieces, offering women a sense of effortless, luxurious modesty.
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