0:00:05 > 0:00:07Back in 2015, I met vlogger Nabiilabee
0:00:07 > 0:00:10while filming the documentary High Street Hijabis.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14Nabiila helped me to explore what modest fashion means for
0:00:14 > 0:00:17young Muslim woman who want to express their style but also
0:00:17 > 0:00:19adhere to their religious requirements.
0:00:19 > 0:00:21Two years on, and we're back together.
0:00:22 > 0:00:25The first documentary we made was something of a journey
0:00:25 > 0:00:26of discovery for me.
0:00:26 > 0:00:28It brought up many questions,
0:00:28 > 0:00:30such as why the high street wasn't catering for young Muslim women
0:00:30 > 0:00:32looking to dress modestly,
0:00:32 > 0:00:33how young women were combining
0:00:33 > 0:00:35modest clothing with cutting-edge fashion,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37what Islam says on the subject
0:00:37 > 0:00:40and why this didn't always meet everybody's approval.
0:00:40 > 0:00:43But in 2017, especially in America, the issues surrounding
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Muslim identity have come sharply into focus.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49This is our journey into modest fashion
0:00:49 > 0:00:51in the post-Trump United States.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01Wait! We are vetting very, very strongly.
0:01:01 > 0:01:07To keep radical Islamic terrorists out of the United States of America.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09You have some bad people out there.
0:01:09 > 0:01:10We don't want them here.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12MUSIC: New York by Angel Haze
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Prior to coming to the States,
0:01:14 > 0:01:17we had to get official I visas to work on the documentary,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21all in the midst of President Trump's proposed Muslim bans.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23This doesn't really affect me personally, but indirectly,
0:01:23 > 0:01:28it does impact Nabiila and other Muslims travelling to the US.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Worryingly, it could also be reversing the positive steps
0:01:31 > 0:01:33young modest fashion bloggers have made.
0:01:33 > 0:01:36I'm super excited but I'm still kind of nervous,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38with like everything going on.
0:01:38 > 0:01:39I wonder how it's going to be.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- I hope I'm not stuck in security. - So do I.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45I hope you're not stuck in security as well.
0:01:45 > 0:01:46Because we have filming to do.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48But we are going to board now, and hopefully,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51- we're going to be there in seven hours.- Yes!
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Hello there, how are you?
0:02:05 > 0:02:08How funny that we actually had more issues on the British side
0:02:08 > 0:02:11than what we did in America.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14It was so weird, because I thought it would be the other way around.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17- Me too.- I thought we would get through England, it would be fine,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20and then come to America and there's going to be so much issues.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23But I actually got stopped and searched in England,
0:02:23 > 0:02:26and then came to America and it was fine, they just let me through.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29I felt so bad, because it is that situation where everyone
0:02:29 > 0:02:32starts looking - "Oh, why has she been pulled to the side?" -
0:02:32 > 0:02:34when you have done nothing wrong,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36but then all of a sudden, you feel that you have done
0:02:36 > 0:02:38something terrible, because the authorities are questioning you
0:02:38 > 0:02:40and you're just stood there by yourself.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42I was like, "This is awful."
0:02:42 > 0:02:46I just want to get a feel for what the people on the ground
0:02:46 > 0:02:48are really feeling, because in England,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51we are bombarded with the news and then we see people protesting...
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Yeah, and whether it is really affecting everyday people.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Because it is all about politicians,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00- but are people actually getting affected?- Mm.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10Back in February, Muslim designer Anniesa Hasibuan
0:03:10 > 0:03:14showcased her Fall/Winter 2017 collection at New York Fashion Week.
0:03:14 > 0:03:19All the models were wearing hijab. They were also immigrants to the US.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23What was the reaction to the show and what effect
0:03:23 > 0:03:27has the statement she has made had on the modest fashion industry?
0:03:27 > 0:03:30We got exclusive backstage access to the show and spoke to Anniesa.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55MUSIC: 99 Problems by Jay Z
0:04:04 > 0:04:06I was completely blown away by it.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09She has an ability to grab these very intricate details
0:04:09 > 0:04:12and translate them into very wearable clothes,
0:04:12 > 0:04:14and I thought this one was dramatic,
0:04:14 > 0:04:17but yet you can adapt it to an everyday wardrobe.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22APPLAUSE
0:04:41 > 0:04:43New York Fashion Week has been very political.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46A lot of designers have been making statements that have been
0:04:46 > 0:04:52very pointed but very classy and subtle at the same time.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54I think it's a beautiful statement in general,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57especially at the moment with all the things happening,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and I think it's beautiful also, and it's important also,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03in the fashion industry to use that platform
0:05:03 > 0:05:04to make a statement,
0:05:04 > 0:05:09to bring awareness and consciousness to beauty stereotypes also,
0:05:09 > 0:05:11to change that up a little bit.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40Even if it's more modest or whatever,
0:05:40 > 0:05:44you still can dress beautiful and you can make a statement.
0:05:44 > 0:05:46But it's also more about just being open.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50I think Anniesa is making a statement that is very simple,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53and it's that there are Muslim women all over the world,
0:05:53 > 0:05:57and they like to dress fashionably and they like to dress
0:05:57 > 0:06:02to their own taste and still maintain the tradition of a hijab.
0:06:02 > 0:06:03They still maintain their modesty.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06And I think she does it in a way that is very adaptable,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08not only to somebody who is Muslim,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12but also to somebody who just really likes chic clothing.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57I have never worn a hijab on the runway,
0:06:57 > 0:06:59but I think it's a great idea
0:06:59 > 0:07:01to not draw the attention away
0:07:01 > 0:07:03from the garment, and to rather have
0:07:03 > 0:07:05every model, a very clean look.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09I think it's just putting more emphasis on the clothing.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37Having shows like this is something that gets conversations going.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40I think a designer like Anniesa makes a statement
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and then it is up to the audience to take that statement
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and accept it or reject it.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48At least it's a conversation starter,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and we could all use a little bit more conversation.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04With modest fashion growing as an industry,
0:08:04 > 0:08:06others here in America are seeking to push it forward.
0:08:06 > 0:08:09One of those is Nailah Lymus, who runs Underwraps,
0:08:09 > 0:08:13the first-ever Muslim and modest female modelling agency in the US.
0:08:15 > 0:08:16I did a lot of research
0:08:16 > 0:08:19before I launched the agency in the secular world,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22because that's where I really wanted to push the models,
0:08:22 > 0:08:23into the mainstream industry
0:08:23 > 0:08:26and not just to be with Muslim designers
0:08:26 > 0:08:28or anything like that. It was just to show
0:08:28 > 0:08:31how beautiful modest fashion can be, and when I speak to what I'm doing,
0:08:31 > 0:08:35I speak to the reasons why I'm doing what I'm doing with the agency.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36So I'm not trying to conform.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Turn very slowly to, kind of, look out the window.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41And...
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Yeah, let me see how that looks.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45- I know how you look. - MODEL LAUGHS
0:08:45 > 0:08:48I would say it's been an overall positive reaction.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51There are some people that don't get it and don't agree,
0:08:51 > 0:08:53because that's just life.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56I mean, that's a level of reality with everything you do,
0:08:56 > 0:08:57you just can't satisfy everyone,
0:08:57 > 0:09:02but I'm just content with my mission, my plan.
0:09:02 > 0:09:07Not to say that there's anything wrong with showing skin
0:09:07 > 0:09:08or the "sex sells" idea -
0:09:08 > 0:09:10you want to wear bikinis, that's totally fine.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12This is just creating another avenue,
0:09:12 > 0:09:14and the beauty of the fashion industry
0:09:14 > 0:09:16and the fashion world is there's room for so many avenues.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18This is the great business to do that.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21That'll be the last shot, the dabbing...
0:09:21 > 0:09:23One of these situations?
0:09:23 > 0:09:25And it would be after you drink the water.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27And what kind of support do you feel from
0:09:27 > 0:09:30publications and designers?
0:09:30 > 0:09:31I feel a lot of support.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34I think right now, it is picking up a lot of momentum,
0:09:34 > 0:09:37because it's trending a lot more.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39Modest fashion is kind of in all the stores now,
0:09:39 > 0:09:43it's becoming more noticeable and more tangible,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46because modest fashion has always been here,
0:09:46 > 0:09:48but it's usually been more...
0:09:48 > 0:09:50You got the Valentino, it's usually more high-end designers
0:09:50 > 0:09:52and it's not really tangible to the average.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Just because of price points.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57But because it's trending now, you have it in H&M,
0:09:57 > 0:09:59you have it in Uniqlo, it's like,
0:09:59 > 0:10:01Target, you can find some long, flowy dress.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03It's a lot more accessible now,
0:10:03 > 0:10:08and therefore you see that a lot of women see the beauty in it.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10One thing I will say is when you dress...
0:10:11 > 0:10:14..a little more where skin is shown, as opposed to more covered,
0:10:14 > 0:10:16you're received differently.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18There is a different type of attention you get from
0:10:18 > 0:10:20the opposite sex, there is a different type of attention
0:10:20 > 0:10:23in the business field, it's just a different type
0:10:23 > 0:10:24of aura that is going to come your way.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27So you never know, maybe dressing like that from fashion,
0:10:27 > 0:10:30you may feel, "Oh, I really like the energy I'm getting here."
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Yeah, but what does that feel like, the energy?
0:10:32 > 0:10:34I feel respected.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37Whenever I'm dealing with...whoever it may be,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39I mean, a bit of that is just my personality,
0:10:39 > 0:10:41because I'm very confident and comfortable with myself,
0:10:41 > 0:10:44upbringing and friends and family have built me that way.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45- You respect yourself. - Right, exactly.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47So that plays a large role.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51I feel like when I'm speaking to people, there is eye contact,
0:10:51 > 0:10:53if I'm speaking to somebody of the opposite sex
0:10:53 > 0:10:55and they may be attracted to me or whatever,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57the conversation doesn't go too far,
0:10:57 > 0:11:00because I feel like they don't think it can go that far, you know?
0:11:00 > 0:11:02When you see body parts and things,
0:11:02 > 0:11:04you just feel a little bit more comfortable
0:11:04 > 0:11:05to talk a certain kind of way.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07If you see it covered up, you're kind of like,
0:11:07 > 0:11:09"I don't know if I can really approach her like that,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11"even though I'd like to. I can see she has a shape,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14"but I don't think I can only go all the way like that."
0:11:17 > 0:11:19As far as being Muslim women,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21we want people to see the beauty and modesty.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24So if you see it and you like it and you want to copy it,
0:11:24 > 0:11:25I'm all for it.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34One of the Underwraps messages of yours is "infusion of inclusion".
0:11:34 > 0:11:38- Mm-hm.- Do you feel like America is following that ethos right now?
0:11:38 > 0:11:41Um, I think it's gradually getting there.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Because I remember when modest fashion wasn't the term,
0:11:44 > 0:11:46it wasn't associated with just Muslims,
0:11:46 > 0:11:50and now it's becoming this kind of new Muslim thing going on,
0:11:50 > 0:11:52when it's just modest fashion.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55It's not Muslim fashion, it's not Islamic fashion, it's just modest.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Anniesa's 2017 collection made a clear statement about
0:12:09 > 0:12:13modest fashion and being a Muslim and immigrant in America right now.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19We met with Elle journalist Kristina Rodulfo to get her views
0:12:19 > 0:12:21on what's happening in fashion at the moment
0:12:21 > 0:12:23and its importance when set against
0:12:23 > 0:12:25the backdrop of current US politics.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29How far do you think the modest fashion industry has come
0:12:29 > 0:12:30over the last three years?
0:12:30 > 0:12:33The mainstream fashion industry has definitely embraced
0:12:33 > 0:12:36modest fashion, it has established itself
0:12:36 > 0:12:37as one to watch, for sure,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40but we are still at a point when it's news -
0:12:40 > 0:12:41you know, it's not the norm,
0:12:41 > 0:12:46and so it's definitely a sign that we need to keep on continuing
0:12:46 > 0:12:50this conversation until the point that it's no longer something
0:12:50 > 0:12:53that's outstanding, it's something that's normal
0:12:53 > 0:12:55and making fashionable more representative of all women.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59Is it the designers making a statement against...
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Using their creativity and their shows and platform to make
0:13:01 > 0:13:04a statement against the political climate?
0:13:04 > 0:13:09It may seem that modest fashion is coming to the forefront right now,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11especially as Trump is in power,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14and it might seem like it's an act of defiance, which, in a way, it is.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17I can't say for sure if the designers are definitely
0:13:17 > 0:13:22trying to say something to the President, but I know for
0:13:22 > 0:13:27a fact that it's definitely a group of women that should not be ignored.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31Muslim people, by 2030, will make 29% of our population,
0:13:31 > 0:13:35so that's 29% of the population that you should be catering to.
0:13:35 > 0:13:36Fashion is for everyone.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38So it should be for those people as well.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- Halima Aden. - CHEERING
0:13:42 > 0:13:46Seeing Halima Aden walking the runway and getting
0:13:46 > 0:13:49the career start that she has is definitely encouraging to
0:13:49 > 0:13:51young Muslim women who may want to work in fashion,
0:13:51 > 0:13:54because it tells them the message that "You belong."
0:13:54 > 0:13:59So seeing more diversity and seeing fashion represent
0:13:59 > 0:14:02our country the way that it actually is is very encouraging.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04All people want to see is themselves,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07and representation for all...
0:14:07 > 0:14:10People say that diversity talk happens so much -
0:14:10 > 0:14:12because we need it!
0:14:12 > 0:14:15We need that, until it doesn't have to be discussed any more.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22Who, for you, are the important voices around modest fashion?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25A lot of credit has to be given to fashion bloggers,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27because they are creating attention
0:14:27 > 0:14:29and creating a space for hijabi bloggers,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31hijabi fashion, hijabi beauty,
0:14:31 > 0:14:35way before mainstream publications were paying attention.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40One person I follow is Melanie Elturk of Haute Hijab.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I love her, she's so great.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46Amani from Muslim Girl is someone we definitely pay attention to
0:14:46 > 0:14:49and we feature her on Elle.com and have a relationship with her.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51She is the coolest.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56She has a really fun blog that kind of brings
0:14:56 > 0:14:59a space that wasn't there before for Muslim women.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06Amani has grown her site since starting it at 17 years old,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08and it now receives over 100 million hits a year.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13Campaigner, tech entrepreneur, author -
0:15:13 > 0:15:16this young woman is vocal about all the issues that concern
0:15:16 > 0:15:18young Muslim women, and we're about to meet her.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20- Hi, Nicola.- You OK?
0:15:20 > 0:15:24You were at Anniesa's New York Fashion Week show in February,
0:15:24 > 0:15:30and all of the models were in hijab and they were all immigrants.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32So how significant was that to you?
0:15:32 > 0:15:35I thought it was really cool to see that,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38because it's not an image you typically see.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41I instantly just flashed back to my first New York Fashion Week.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45It was when I was in college, maybe three years ago, and when
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I was there, I remember meeting someone from Wilhelmina Models.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49I thought it was so cool,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52I'm getting an insider's view on the industry,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55and I asked him, "Do you think that there is hope that, one day,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59"we are going to see modest fashion represented on these runways?"
0:15:59 > 0:16:01And he immediately said, "Absolutely not."
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Modest fashion is really about equipping women with a choice
0:16:09 > 0:16:13to reveal as little or as much as they want with their clothing,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17just to have that autonomy about how they choose to express their bodies.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22In the past, a lot of women have been really limited
0:16:22 > 0:16:24in the way they choose to dress.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26With fashion especially,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29I can tell you how much difficulty I experienced
0:16:29 > 0:16:31when I first started wearing a headscarf,
0:16:31 > 0:16:34when I made the commitment to start dressing in hijab.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37And I could rarely find clothes that covered my body,
0:16:37 > 0:16:41and especially for a teenage girl, when I started wearing it,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44you're already dealing with so many body issues and, like,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47fashion, style, you're really trying to navigate your identity.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49You want options for how to express yourself,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52and I remember always feeling so awkward trying to make things
0:16:52 > 0:16:55fit with the headscarf, and now I think it's beautiful
0:16:55 > 0:16:58that there are a lot more options out there.
0:16:58 > 0:17:00So Muslim Girl has become hugely successful.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02What inspired you to start?
0:17:02 > 0:17:05It was less about being inspired to start
0:17:05 > 0:17:07and more being pissed off enough to start.
0:17:07 > 0:17:13I think that, for me, I was 17 years old, I was really frustrated by
0:17:13 > 0:17:15this misrepresentation of Muslim women
0:17:15 > 0:17:17I had been experiencing my entire life.
0:17:17 > 0:17:199/11 happened when I was nine years old,
0:17:19 > 0:17:23so I grew up through a lot of this Islamophobic misrepresentation
0:17:23 > 0:17:27of Muslims, and just seeing people talk about Muslim women
0:17:27 > 0:17:29and what we believe in, what we stand for,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32but it was never Muslim women doing the talking.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35And so, yeah, we did what any typical millennial women would do -
0:17:35 > 0:17:38we went online and we created our own space.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42Can fashion and voices like yours help change attitudes?
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I really do credit social media platforms like Instagram
0:17:45 > 0:17:47for the rise of modest fashion trends.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49You scroll through it and you see
0:17:49 > 0:17:51veiled Muslim girls putting on make-up
0:17:51 > 0:17:54right alongside non-Muslim women and it's normal.
0:17:54 > 0:17:55It's normal in a platform like that,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58and I think that's the reason why a lot of these brands are starting
0:17:58 > 0:18:02to wake up and realise there's a demand to cater to this market.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07Do you feel like it's a genuine interest into modest fashion
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and into the Muslim culture?
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Or do you think that it is these organisations just jumping on board
0:18:14 > 0:18:18because they can see it is a booming industry?
0:18:18 > 0:18:21I think that, largely, for our partners,
0:18:21 > 0:18:23it has been really genuine,
0:18:23 > 0:18:25because what makes interest like that genuine
0:18:25 > 0:18:28is when you actually pull in the people you're trying to cater to,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31when you include them in the process and you have them
0:18:31 > 0:18:34be the ones to design how they want to be addressed, right?
0:18:34 > 0:18:38But many of these fashion brands, like Dolce & Gabbana,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41for example, it wasn't led by a Muslim woman fashion designer.
0:18:41 > 0:18:46It's an amazing initiative for us, for our visibility,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48that a beautiful fashion house like Dolce & Gabbana would want
0:18:48 > 0:18:51to cater to our community, but at the same time,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54it puts out of business a lot of Muslim women fashion designers
0:18:54 > 0:18:56that have been creating abayas and hijabs for much longer.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59I think brands like Uniqlo kind of have the right idea in mind,
0:18:59 > 0:19:02because they partnered with Hana Tajima, they had
0:19:02 > 0:19:04a Muslim woman be behind it and be the visionary for it,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06and I think that's really great.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08I think that's what's so important right now,
0:19:08 > 0:19:11especially in the United States, for example,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14we've seen so many brands try to reach out to our market,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17but then when Donald Trump was saying,
0:19:17 > 0:19:19"We want to ban all Muslims", blah-blah-blah,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22how many of these brands made any public statements
0:19:22 > 0:19:24in support of us, to stand up for us?
0:19:24 > 0:19:25None.
0:19:25 > 0:19:30What you think the future holds for modest fashion in the United States?
0:19:30 > 0:19:32I can tell you what I hope the future of modest fashion
0:19:32 > 0:19:35will be, and that is that it's going to be normal.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38It's just going to be an option readily available to anyone and
0:19:38 > 0:19:41people are going to understand that some women choose to dress
0:19:41 > 0:19:43and cover themselves, while others don't,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45and there's nothing wrong with that.
0:19:55 > 0:19:59As a blogger and YouTuber myself, I want to find out what
0:19:59 > 0:20:01all these changes mean for my US peers here in New York.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05Have recent events spurred them on to be more outspoken
0:20:05 > 0:20:06about modest fashion?
0:20:06 > 0:20:08Or are people now scared to
0:20:08 > 0:20:10voice their opinions and assert their Muslim identity
0:20:10 > 0:20:11in a divided America?
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Mariana, what for you has been the effect of Donald Trump?
0:20:25 > 0:20:30We have a leader in our country that is not very aware
0:20:30 > 0:20:34of our country's history, first of all,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37and also the laws of our country,
0:20:37 > 0:20:42so it is creating turbulence between its citizens and him.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44When he was saying such horrible things,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47not just about Muslims, but about people in general,
0:20:47 > 0:20:51and...he won, it showed that half the country, even more than half
0:20:51 > 0:20:53the country, was OK with this, and they also believed it.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55So for me, it was just a big wake-up call,
0:20:55 > 0:20:57it was like, "Wow, this actually...
0:20:57 > 0:20:59"Islamophobia is something that exists."
0:20:59 > 0:21:01And it made me just more, not only aware of it,
0:21:01 > 0:21:05but more conscious that I need to do certain things to try
0:21:05 > 0:21:07and change it or combat it,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09where before, I didn't see it so much of an issue.
0:21:09 > 0:21:14I feel like it's made hate much more tolerable now in our society.
0:21:14 > 0:21:19For example, my aunt one day was driving and she parked her car,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23and somebody threw trash at her in her car, and they said,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26"Go back to your country." And she was like, "I was born..."
0:21:26 > 0:21:29My aunt was born here as well, so it's just a lot of ignorance,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32I feel, and people are taking more pride in it,
0:21:32 > 0:21:34they feel like it's something they can do
0:21:34 > 0:21:37and they're not going to get in trouble for.
0:21:37 > 0:21:38Not to be completely negative,
0:21:38 > 0:21:41I feel like there has been a lot of positivity.
0:21:41 > 0:21:43At least for me, I have experienced it walking in the street,
0:21:43 > 0:21:44someone sees me in my hijab,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47a lot of non-Muslims have been like, "Wow, you're so brave."
0:21:47 > 0:21:49There's both sides to it.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51A lot of love has come out of it,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53but there's also definitely been a lot of hate, so...
0:21:56 > 0:21:59How has this affected modest fashion?
0:21:59 > 0:22:02I personally know people who've taken off their scarves
0:22:02 > 0:22:05because they have said they don't feel comfortable or safe,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08or they just can't take the stares any more, or the comments,
0:22:08 > 0:22:10and I can totally understand that pressure,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13I feel like that's personally why I do it,
0:22:13 > 0:22:17and I'm sure most of us here, that's what we encourage other women
0:22:17 > 0:22:20to do, that's the end goal, to let them feel comfortable.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23There's definitely a lack of tolerance for who we are
0:22:23 > 0:22:24and the way we dress.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27My grandmother has always been incredibly encouraging
0:22:27 > 0:22:30of my journey and she asked me,
0:22:30 > 0:22:33"Do you think you could still be Muslim and not wear the hijab?"
0:22:33 > 0:22:36- And I said, "Well, yes..." - She just wants you to be safe?- Yeah.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39I said, "Yes, I can, but I don't necessarily want to be."
0:22:39 > 0:22:43And she was like, "I just don't want anything to happen to you."
0:22:43 > 0:22:44And for me, that was just like...
0:22:44 > 0:22:47- It's heartbreaking.- Heartbreaking.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50To think she's sitting worrying because she knows I'm going out
0:22:50 > 0:22:54and going to college and things like that with my scarf on...
0:22:54 > 0:22:58And are you defiant, you're just like, "No way"?
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Yeah, no, I'm good.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04There's not much you can do at this point, I'm happy with it.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Kendyl, you're a revert to Islam.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09Can you just explain what that is to maybe people who don't know?
0:23:09 > 0:23:14I was raised Roman Catholic and then, at about 18 years old,
0:23:14 > 0:23:18I chose to revert to Islam, and instead of saying "convert",
0:23:18 > 0:23:21like many Christian or Jewish faiths would say,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24we say "revert" because we believe that our souls
0:23:24 > 0:23:26are created by Allah, Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30and so we are created in a state of being Muslim because that is
0:23:30 > 0:23:34what we believe is true, so your soul is, in a way,
0:23:34 > 0:23:37reverting back to where it began and what it started as.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40So how does your love of tattoos work with your faith?
0:23:40 > 0:23:42I get a lot of reactions, that's for sure.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45Are tattoos allowed? Seen as allowed?
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- No.- No?
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Well, by the majority, no.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51The majority of Muslims,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54tattoos are seen to be impermissible and not allowed.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58So by entering the community as a fairly heavily tattooed person,
0:23:58 > 0:24:00there were definitely reactions,
0:24:00 > 0:24:03there were a lot of people that felt like I should remove
0:24:03 > 0:24:04my tattoos or cover them,
0:24:04 > 0:24:09which would mean wearing gloves constantly.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Or something!
0:24:11 > 0:24:14For me, it was never an issue.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18My body and the way that I looked and my faith never collided
0:24:18 > 0:24:20until people made them collide.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24- Have you had any tattoos since reverting?- Yes.- You have?
0:24:24 > 0:24:27So I don't hold the majority opinion.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30These tattoos, whether you agree with them or like them or not,
0:24:30 > 0:24:34they are a part of my journey and they really illustrate the places
0:24:34 > 0:24:37I have been, the people that have influenced by life,
0:24:37 > 0:24:40and regardless of if I choose to stop getting them or continue,
0:24:40 > 0:24:42they are constant reminders of how I got here.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44If I didn't go through those experiences,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47I never would have become Muslim.
0:24:47 > 0:24:52Can an industry like modest fashion help change viewpoints and opinions?
0:24:52 > 0:24:56I think definitely, because I think it shows we're really not oppressed,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00we are very self-empowered and confident in who we are,
0:25:00 > 0:25:04and there are ways to make it beautiful and trendy, so to speak.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06Even Anniesa's show,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09everything was very bedazzled and it was glitter everywhere
0:25:09 > 0:25:12and it was very beautiful, very sunny, very eye-catching.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15I think it kind of builds more sense of acceptance,
0:25:15 > 0:25:18and not only acceptance, but fascination with it.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21I feel like it's something that is growing not just
0:25:21 > 0:25:24in the Muslim community, but in the fashion world all over.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Modest fashion is kind of still in its infancy
0:25:27 > 0:25:30in terms of the mainstream.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33Where do you see it going in two, three or four years' time?
0:25:33 > 0:25:38We have seen in history that subcultures have become mainstream.
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Currently, hip-hop, right?
0:25:40 > 0:25:42Streetwear is everywhere,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45and we're going to see what the result is once we see where
0:25:45 > 0:25:49fashion and the trend is moving and see how much it has impacted.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57MUSIC: Blinded By Your Grace by Stormzy feat MNEK
0:25:59 > 0:26:01This is it, we're at the end of our trip.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05What do you think the difference is in modest fashion between
0:26:05 > 0:26:09the scene in the UK and being here in New York?
0:26:09 > 0:26:12I never really realised how difficult it really was until
0:26:12 > 0:26:15talking to the other girls and hearing their stories
0:26:15 > 0:26:19- and how people are actually getting physically harassed.- Yes.
0:26:19 > 0:26:23I just realise how lucky I am in England to be a hijabi
0:26:23 > 0:26:27and a Muslim, and how easy it is, and how I can just go about
0:26:27 > 0:26:30my everyday life without having to think or worry about
0:26:30 > 0:26:32me wearing a cloth on my head.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35And here, people have to worry about that, it's just crazy.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38I think, in today's society, we all feel,
0:26:38 > 0:26:40especially with social media,
0:26:40 > 0:26:44we all have a voice and we all feel entitled to give our opinion,
0:26:44 > 0:26:47but a lot of the time, that opinion is uneducated.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49I think with the whole thing that's happening with Trump,
0:26:49 > 0:26:53with modest fashion, it has actually moved it forward.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Like Kanye used the first hijabi model.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59The designers are trying to make a statement
0:26:59 > 0:27:02and it's actually having a really positive effect.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Women of all faiths or no faiths
0:27:09 > 0:27:12are realising that they have another option out there,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15and I think that that is going to expand the industry for all of us.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20MUSIC: Human by Rag'n'Bone Man
0:27:31 > 0:27:34I really hope, for Muslim women, that it's going to reach
0:27:34 > 0:27:38a level where they can walk out of their homes choosing to dress
0:27:38 > 0:27:41however they want without fearing being attacked for that.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44And I think that hopefully, I'm hoping,
0:27:44 > 0:27:46we're working towards that direction.
0:27:46 > 0:27:49# I'm only human after all
0:27:49 > 0:27:53# I'm only human after all, don't put the blame on me
0:27:55 > 0:27:57# Don't put the blame on me. #