Never Say Never: The Modist Gets Ready To Make Its Return
Co-founders Ghizlan Guenez and Hajar Ouhsin explain how their renewed confidence in their website’s mission has inspired its reincarnation into a shiny new platform, complete with Web 3 technology
When Ghizlan Guenez first launched her e-commerce fashion site The Modist on International Women’s Day back in 2017 it was evident that she had identified a gap in the online retail market for modest luxury clothing. Not only did the website attract big investors like Farfetch, but it also sold to over 120 countries and featured an impressive brand matrix including Burberry and Marni. So, the news of the website’s closure in April 2020 – brought on by the economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic – was received with a collective sigh of dismay by those who supported its purpose.
“Ghizlan is a visionary; she created a relatable platform that gave women of the region a voice. She tapped into a market that should have been so obvious to brands and retailers but was still underserved. It was the first site to really explore and open minds, proving that women with modest and demure wardrobes are, and can be stylish,” states Jade Chilton, a Dubai-based fashion editor and Harper’s Bazaar Arabia contributor.
Although the pandemic upended Ghilzan’s initial ambitions, the demand for modest fashion and the purchasing power of Muslims worldwide continues to bubble with voracious tenacity. According to the State of Global Islamic Economy Report 2020/21, Muslim spend on fashion is expected to grow by an astounding 12 per cent from $277 billion (Dhs1.018 trillion) in 2019 to $311 billion (Dhs1.142 trillion) in 2024.
Today Ghizlan is back. Armed with the benefit of experience and a new vision for the future, not to mention a new co-founder, Hajar Ouhsine, she is ready for the site’s next chapter. When asked if this was the opportune time to re-launch the site, Ghizlan explains, “whether we launched a year ago, or a year from now it would be relevant because we’re addressing modest fashion, which is a lifestyle for millions of women around the world. It’s not a trend. It’s not a fad. It’s actually a way that many women live and dress day in and day out. And it will always be relevant if addressed correctly.”
Motivated by the aspiration to meet the sartorial needs of the modern, more conservative woman, The Modist must play a delicate balancing act. The site needs to offer a curated fashion assortment that is representative of a point of view, whilst still being wide enough in terms of both price point and brand selection to be relevant. “We’re excited to be opening up the price bracket with brands that are new to The Modist, that are more accessible, but nonetheless sit beautifully within the luxury selection,” confirms Ghizlan. This newness will include athleisure among other categories that cater to the modern woman’s multi-faceted lifestyle. The more comprehensive their offering, the greater the power of choice is for their customer, and the more the platform itself contributes to the creation of a contemporary conservative aesthetic.
Other than taking the name from the original concept, Ghizlan is quick to specify that this iteration of the platform – The Modist 2.0 as she likes to refer to it – is being rebuilt from scratch, and importantly, it’s going to put the focus on those who connect with its mission. Ghizlan and Hajar have come to understand that supporters of The Modist were aligning themselves with the company’s authentic values, which naturally spawned a sense of community. Over time, this community had garnered a following that was way more far-reaching than Ghizlan could have ever imagined – the magnitude of which was only fully made aware to her when she announced the site was shutting down two years ago.
In a savvy move, Ghizlan and Hajar have sought out innovative ways to nurture and grow The Modist’s engagement with its community. Enter Web 3 – the new age of the internet built on blockchain technology and NFTs. Web 3 has already begun to supersede Web 2 – the second version of the internet, grounded in user-generated content like social media. “We wanted to connect with our community on another level this time, and when NFT technology came about, it was very clear to us that this is exactly what’s going to take the community engagement to the next level.”
The key difference between these two iterations of the internet? With Web 2, the success of a platform is dependent upon its ability to amass a large following, however, only the platform itself reaps the rewards of the success. With Web 3, as the platform gains in popularity, those who own a piece of its community also benefit, and this is what The Modist is tapping into with the creation of their very own NFT collection.
“NFTs are changing the distribution of wealth, which is no longer solely concentrated among the creators and influencers, but rather spread between all members of the community,” proclaims Ghizlan. Called Queen Mode, the collection will offer 10,000 NFTs, all designed by Ale Michel, a burgeoning Mexican artist. NFT owners will receive dividends on sales of Queen Mode and on revenue from collaboration projects in addition to having access to perks and dibs on exclusive collections. Potential NFT buyers can select from a plethora of characters, or Queens, who embody a range of personalities, occupy different professions and represent a diversity of physical appearances. “The collection sits under the mission of empowerment of choice, as a woman, whatever your choice is, exercising it is what makes you feel powerful,” says Ghizlan.
Part of the Modist’s mission is to disseminate informational content so that women have the tools necessary to partake in the Web 3 space should they choose to do so. “Web 3 presents a huge opportunity, not only in terms of buying and investing in NFTs, but also in terms of jobs for women and them playing a role in creating this space. This has always been a challenge – we get into spaces too late in the day and we’re not part of co-creating these industries so we don’t thrive in them because they’re not built around us,” explains Ghizlan. The goal is to empower women so that the world of NFTs doesn’t crystalize into a male-dominated space by simple virtue of women not having communities in which to engage with these new technologies.
The Modist is laying the groundwork when it comes to recontextualising modest fashion, a niche market that is perhaps not yet fully understood, into something that has an even broader appeal. By making conservative clothing accessible to women and encouraging them to engage with new technology, the platform is already delivering on its commitment to empower women in more ways than one.
Images courtesy of Jason Lloyd-Evans, Shutterstock and Supplied Images
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s June 2022 issue.