The Modest Fashion and Art Trade Show returned to Istanbul for its third edition this week, culminating on Nov. 29, bringing together designers, brands and artists from nine countries under the umbrella of Halal Expo 2025.
Held on Nov. 26-29 at the IFM Istanbul Expo Center, the four-day event featured fashion runways, panel talks, exhibition booths and an awards ceremony highlighting innovation across the global modest-wear industry. The show was organized by Southeast Asia-based fashion aggregator Markamarie, led by Franka Soeria and Ismail Semin, in collaboration with Discover Events and the World Halal Summit.
Building on its inaugural Istanbul showcase in December 2024 and a mini-edition in Jakarta in October 2025, the Istanbul gathering positioned itself as a regional hub for modest fashion trade and cultural exchange. Participants from Türkiye, Indonesia, the United Arab Emirates, the U.K., the U.S., Kazakhstan, Germany, Austria and Lebanon attended to network and explore cross-border collaborations.
Dozens of labels presented new collections, including Selhaya (U.K.), Al Tatari (Türkiye), SILY The Brand (Indonesia), Terezie (Türkiye), LZ Swim (Austria), Atelier Raushan Almaty’s “Project Grandmothers Who Amazed The World” (Kazakhstan), Etrucci (Türkiye), Jawhara Syari (Indonesia), Praer (U.K.), Byyinks (U.S.), Al Telal (UAE) and Armodia (Türkiye), among others.
Runway presentations ranged from luxury abayas and monochrome ready-to-wear to athletic styles and burkini swimwear, reflecting the sector’s widening design language and consumer base. Organizers said the show aims to highlight the diversity of modest fashion while strengthening commercial links between markets.
“We are happy to unite the modest fashion industry in Istanbul once more,” Soeria said in a statement, adding that the event seeks to connect countries “beyond borders” to enable brands to expand, collaborate and trade.
A central feature of the program was the Modest Fashion Awards, which recognized brands and designers for contributions to the industry. Special guests included fashion figures from Europe and the Middle East, such as Selma Lebdiri and Amina Ben Bouzid from Germany, Hala Absi from Lebanon and Egyptian designer Radwa Galal.
The trade show took place within Halal Expo 2025, a major platform for halal products and services running alongside the World Halal Summit, which promotes international dialogue on halal economy, ethical standards and innovation. Organizers said the pairing underscores the growing commercial and cultural weight of modest fashion within the wider halal lifestyle market.
