Signals & Stats

Modern modesty

By Daniela Walker 21 : 10 : 2016 Hijabistas : Transparency : Modesty

London – Whoever said modesty had to be boring? RŪH is a new fashion label that proves otherwise.

When founder Soni Ruh converted to Islam she suddenly found it much harder to dress well
RŪH offers an alternative to women who want to be covered but are still interested in fashion

RŪH Collective

With palazzo trousers, linen joggers and a kimono jacket, at first glance RŪH looks like any other well-styled, minimalist e-commerce site. But subtle differences pop up – such as the fact that all of the models are wearing turtlenecks and no skin is shown beyond the wrists and the feet. The brand deftly brings the zeitgeist for minimalist dressing together with the need for modesty in many cultures.

‘Too often, modesty and high fashion are seen as opposing ideas,’ says founder Soni Ruh. The collection was designed to show that you can dress modestly and still be the most fashionable woman in the room,’ she adds.

The label holds itself to an ethical standard, with an Everlane-style approach to transparency around the factory it uses and a try-at-home feature that enables customers to try items on at home for £3 ($3.67, €3.34) while only being charged for the items they keep. Despite the fact that it is geared towards Muslim women, RŪH’s design and ethics are designed to appeal to any woman.

The Big Picture

Muslim consumers are often ignored by bigger brands despite their spending power. But RŪH shows how to combine the cultural needs of a consumer with the wider zeitgeist. For more on key insights into the female Muslim consumer, see our Hijabistas microtrend and Halal Beauty market report.