More news from the Middle East, a region that is developing extremely fast at the moment in terms of fashion business. With the launch of VOGUE ARABIA, the new online shop OUNASS that only serves the Gulf markets, operating in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and a growing loyal customer base in the Middle East for global online shopping destinations such as NET-A-PORTER, MATCHESFASHION
and MODAOPERANDI
, the economy is booming. Many of those online houses are working on localised sites in the region, mostly planned for 2018/2019.
Dolce & Gabbana launched a collection of hijabs & abayas in 2016 with a lot of success.
According to a 2016 Digital Middle East report by McKinsey & Company, the Middle East is on the edge of a massive digital evolution with significant unused e-commerce potential.
Ghizlan Guenez, CEO and Founder of The Modist
Yesterday, the first global online destination for luxury modest fashion, THE MODIST, has been launched. Conceived by Ghizlan Guenez, CEO and Founder, it provides a destination for like-minded women who want in-season, luxury fashion choices while respecting the context of their personal style, spanning all ages, faiths, cultures and ethnicities. 38-year-old Guenez, who is originally from Algeria, has been living in the UAE for the last 20 years which has helped her to profoundly understand her target market. With this launch, she is definitely trying to own the region before anybody else.
“Our mission is to build a strong sense of purpose to empower a woman’s freedom of choice and to acknowledge how similar women across the world are, despite our diverse backgrounds, cultures and lifestyles – a relevant conversation at this time,” notes Guenez. “We aim to break down pre-conceived notions while building a community and dialogue that invigorates, informs and celebrates the fashionable, modern, modest woman“.
THE MODIST is shipping to over 100 countries, it is dedicated to women who dress to express their style in a contemporary, fashionable yet modest manner. The selection includes pieces of over 75 of the world’s leading ready-to-wear and accessories brands including Marni, Alberta Ferretti, Christopher Kane and Mary Katrantzou amongst others.
If you are wondering how pieces from such designers can be modest, you come to the expertise that THE MODIST wants to curate by styling such brands in a more modest way and by proposing many ideas of styling, including clever layering, longer hemlines and sleeves. Being inspired by regional insights to still attract a global audience that is the motto.
Combining curated content and commerce, THE MODIST‘s accompanying magazine, «THE MOD» will provide shoppable content, seasonal features, styling guidance, moving image segments, behind the scenes excerpts as well as profiles and interviews. The platform will also include personal styling and shopping tips, an in-house studio and a 24/7 personal concierge all built on an enterprise level e-commerce platform with global logistics partnerships.
Lisa Bridgett, Chief Operating Officer, whom I know from her position as Director of Global Sales and Marketing at Net-à-Porter, adds “The market potential within the modest fashion segment is vast and projected to reach a value of $484 billion by 2019. Our goal is to provide a one-stop, immersive content and shopping destination for the global luxury modest consumer whom we know and herald“.
The team behind The Modist: Sasha Sarokin, Sally Matthews, Ghizlan Guenez, Lisa Bridgett, Dima Ayad.
With offices in London and Dubai, THE MODIST team comprises, in addition to Guenez and Bridgett, international business and fashion industry specialists including Sasha Sarokin, Buying and Fashion Director (former Head Buyer at Net-à-Porter); Sally Matthews, Creative Director (former Fashion and Beauty Director of Harper’s Bazaar Arabia) and Dima Ayad, PR and Marketing Director (former Fashion Designer and Marketing VP).
Another and interesting way of styling the Duritz pussy-bow printed crepe de chine maxi dress by Mary Katrantzou.
Great news is that you get 15% off your first purchase at THEMODIST with promo code MODGIFT.
Happy Shopping!
LoL, Sandra
Photos: © The Modist, @ Harper’s Bazaar Arabia
