It started with faith and a pencil..
Our Story
I am gifted inspiration
My clothing design journey was gifted
Like many, I styled myself in a way that reflected my being. And as my being matured, my demands for a modest, comforting and appealing aesthetic also matured.
Before I knew it, I was a self-taught designer teaching others how to make clothes. And found others requesting the aesthetic I had inadvertently been compiling.
All thanks belongs to God.
The Doors to Modestwear are Opened
My designs quickly found their audience in London.
Having performed at several shows, the modest community had found me and my understanding of modesty, creativity and beauty grew.
A turning point was hosting a collection at Modest Fashion Week London where I established 'IXM', a modest streetwear label
All praise belongs to God.
Evolving into Praer
As a believer, every decision is grounded with intention, and every intention is grounded in faith.
My offering to the world had to be right but the path offered considerable challenges. What did Modesty truly mean? Can modesty co-exist with fashion? What is non-exploitative clothing production?
My understanding, the designs, the fabric, the processes, the visuals, the meanings... everything needed elevating. Everything needed sincerity.
Praer was born.
Grounded in Meaning
So what does modesty mean? It was more than covering skin.
It is an internal quality that offers nothing but goodness, an acknowledgement that all beauty comes from God.
On the path of modesty, Modestwear is given life and meaning!
Modestwear becomes a reflection of humility, a believer's ambition, honouring our gifts and our beauty while also confronting the lower-self. Our bodies are not an offering for our egos, nor sex appeal for destructive validation.
Modestwear is the meeting of inward and outward beauty. Things had become clear to me.
Praer Grows
Leo, a dear friend and South Korean muslim joins Praer.
Leo fell in love with the designs but more importantly had independently understood a similar vision. His leaving of a corporate enslavement to pursue Praer was the embodiment of Praer itself. To become a free man.
We both unreservedly acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge ahead of us; the normalisation of exploitation caused by the love of money and the hyper-sexualisation caused by objectification and comparison of our bodies.
Before we could speak sincerely, we knew we had to offer the best of solutions.
Made with Intention
So how did Praer embody this belief?
Modestwear is naturally a pioneer for sustainability, mindful production processes and ethical business practices.
For years I searched for a studio which offered Praer authenticity, sustainable and ethical practices and a place that valued quality as much as their machinists.
Authenticity guided me to people, to community, to locality. To appreciate the place that Praer was designed, to build connection face to face, and allow me to verify claims and interact with the machinists directly.
Authenticity became Action
We questioned everything.
What's fashion? Why hangtags? How do you determine sustainability?
Everything was judged and refined.
From inconspicuous branding, to custom biodegradable buttons to long-lasting and flexible construction to knee sleeves designed to protect awrah to 100% recyclable packaging.
The design process was at its finale and offered me a sense of pride.
Praer is given Life!
We locked in and elevated everything.
It took the path of free men.
A path freeing of the illusory.
And we are ready to offer it to the world.
Bismillah.
Just Getting Started..
