Hind Lafram is the young entrepreneur behind Italy’s first modest fashion line. She started out by sharing her designs on social media in 2014. Today, her outfits have been featured in Vogue and she has business partners in Doha and Dubai. We talked to Hind about her creative business and breaking into a billion-euro market.
How did you get the idea for your modest fashion business?
My business idea came about from my own experience as a young, Muslim woman with a passion for clothes and fashion. I was frustrated that many of the spring/summer collections on the high street didn't offer the longer sleeves and hemlines that I wanted to wear. This reduced my choice to very traditional outfits which didn't really reflect my personal style.
In 2014, I shared my experience on social media and discovered that I was not alone. Many other girls felt exactly the same and were crying out for tailored outfits and complete modest fashion collections. Around this time, I started working at the Web Fashion Academy in Milan where I had the chance to learn more about textiles and tailoring.
How did you go about creating your own fashion brand?
Step by step, I started to create my own pieces and to share them on Facebook. The reaction was overwhelmingly positive. By 2017, I had created and registered my own fashion brand (Hind Lafram) and − with two other people − created the Modest Fashion Italia company.
Since then, public interest has really taken off! I have been able to show my collections at many events and fashion shows around Italy and the Middle East and they have featured in influential magazines like Vogue and Vanity Fair.
Analysts predict that the modest fashion market will be worth over 300 billion euros globally by 2020. How do you plan to stand out?
The modest fashion business is growing year on year. Investors and fashion designers are clearly aware of its huge potential.
The Hind Lafram brand is about understanding what a Muslim woman, growing up in the west, wants and needs from fashion. It's also about constantly evolving to meet these needs.
What I insist on is creating high quality products, made in Italy, using Italian textiles and style. This unique combination makes my modest fashion brand stand out.
Italy has a strong tradition in fashion and textiles. How has this impacted on your business?
I am a great admirer of Italian fashion and have a huge respect for the Italian tradition and know-how in the fashion industry. I have been inspired by Italian designers.
Hind Lafram is a modest fashion brand that is totally made in Italy: I work only with Italian fabrics and all of the production and manufacturing process takes place in Italy.
My ambition now – building on the international business contacts I have made so far – is to take my Made in Italy creations onto the global stage.
Hind Lafram received business support to find international clients from Enterprise Europe Network partner Unioncamere Piemonte, in Torino, Italy.