Ramadan dress and fashion awareness on the rise along with sales

Next week the Muslim holy month of Ramadan is expected to begin – a time of fasting, prayer, abstinence and, for fashion brands, profits.

Australian designers are taking inspiration from luxury labels Louis Vuitton, Dior and Alexander McQueen’s demure Ramadan capsule collections by expanding their offering of modest dressing pieces.

Flowing gowns with long sleeves and high necklines, ankle-grazing trousers, roomy tunics and countless handbags with glistening logos are Ramadan’s stylish alternative to the ugly Christmas sweater.

Australian label Acler has launched a Ramadan capsule collection at department stores in the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, as well as in Australia, following feedback from customers and buyers in the Middle East.

“Ramadan is a season of giving, celebration and family, and we wanted to design a collection that honours these values,” says Acler chief executive Julia Sumner.

“We have customers everywhere who are interested in more modest pieces. But last year the Middle East overtook Australia as our second-largest wholesale market.” The US remains Acler’s largest market.

“This capsule is part of our broader commitment to inclusivity and creating garments that allow women to feel their best, no matter the occasion.”

With the global modest dressing market projected to reach $US375 billion ($586 billion) this year, other Australian labels are offering more evening-wear options without cut-outs and cleavage.

“Customers are looking for heavily embellished pieces with more coverage,” says designer Rebecca Vallance, who is seeing increased demand in the lead up to Ramadan for extravagant dresses through luxury e-tailer Farfetch, with 38 per cent of purchases coming from its evening gown category. Orders from the UAE through the label’s website have increased by 500 per cent since last year.