"Modest" Swimwear on the Rise

by Meieli Sawyer Detoni
Miami Fashion Weekly
Issue No. 2 September, 2006


FATIH, ISTANBUL, TURKEY- For some of us, swimming in a one-piece can be a solution to cardio avoidance. But even if we worry about our problem area, at least we have plenty of choices to find the right suit. Swimsuits have become far more forgiving, and with a little smart selection, we can tackle body flaws, confidence issues, and missed time on the treadmill.

But for Muslim women, swimsuits offer far less tantalizing choices. While there are enough brands offered, there's hardly enough design and style to go around.

Thankfully, modest swimsuits, which are designed for Muslim dress codes as well as other modesty-conscious individuals, have gotten a boost in style and design for fall 2006-and that's no small feat for swimsuits designed to cover all but the face, hands, and feet.

In order to cover the body properly, modest swimsuits end up rife with design limitations. Garments mustn't be form-fitting or tight, showing the outline of the body; a Muslim woman also needs to cover her hair and arms. Anna Ghonim, who lived in Cairo for eight years, said that while it wasn't difficult finding a modest suit style, it was difficult finding one that she wanted to wear. Ghonim admitted that "[Modest swimwear] is not attractive at all. I think they could do a lot better in terms of style and color."

But improvements have been made-and it's about time. Mehmet Sahin, a Turkish businessman, has witnessed rising sales for his swimwear brand Hasema (www.hasema.com). The company itself is not young-it's been around since 1989-but what Hasema has begun take a new approach. Updated designs and the most advanced fabrics have begun to energize modest swimwear like never before, introducing new styles alongside punchy colors.

The changes made to Hasema's line are welcome additions to swimsuits lacking in design, style, and even the most basic of color choices. There are no color use requirements for Muslim women, so it's a bit surprising that things have taken so long to brighten up. No one wants to be drab. Grays aren't good for the beach, but neither are some of the garish purples, mumsy peaches, and neon greens that dominate many modest suit styles. Sahin has announced that not only has he been planning to expand to the United States, Jordan, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, and Germany, but Hasema will show next year in Cairo.

In California, another modest swimwear company, Splashgear (www.splashgearusa.com), has released its debut collection this month. These suits are sleek-without clinging-and have slim trousers and long-sleeve tees. Owner Shareen Sabet remarked that "I think that [some modest swimsuit companies] missed the fashion sense that we Muslim women have. . . I vowed to offer trendy, hip, western-style fashions that they would not be embarrassed to wear in public."

Aesthetics aside, these swimsuits have become more advanced in their production as well. "I'm very proud that Splashgear is able to contribute a technical improvement to modest swimwear," Shareen Sabet told MFW. Stiffened hems at the leg openings of Splashgear swimwear trousers, paired with water-repellent coated fabrics like lycra, polyester, and nylon, helps everything dry much faster. "In fact," Sabet continued, "if you splashed a bucket of water on to the Splashgear swim bottoms, they wouldn't even get wet-really." For all of us who have had to endure soaking-wet shorts after a swim, this certainly is an impressive contribution.

Modest swimsuits might just be getting their first makeover now, but Hasema and Splashgear are innovating new ways to keep modest women comfortable. At this pace, styles will get increasingly trendy and stylish for 2007 and beyond.