In response to the growing consumer interest in clothes that cover the skin, high street giants H&M are the latest brand to launch a modest collection.

Joining the likes of Nike (who create the Pro Hijab), Net-a-Porter (who have a dedicated section on their website to modestwear) and Dolce & Gabbana (who debuted their ready-to-wear line of abayas back in 2016), H&M’s modest fashion line, the first for the brand, will be called LTD Collection and feature a two-part collection. The first launches today exclusively on H&M’s website, with the second drop set to be released on 24 May.

“With the inception of the H&M LTD Collection, we were very much driven by a love of color, embellishment, and self-expression,” says H&M’s head of design Pernilla Wohlfahrt. “There’s a confidence and positive feeling throughout the entire collection, from the flowing silhouettes to the head-to-toe prints, which women all over the world can really relate to.”

The spring collection is made up of kaftans,  long-sleeved tunics to be worn over the wide-leg pants, coordinating separates, flowy maxis, and midis in seasonally appropriate colours, embellishments and prints (think: lightweight fabrics in florals, yellows, blues, and whites with embroidery detailing).

This isn’t H&M’s first attempt at tapping into the Muslim market. In 2015 they launched a campaign starring hijab-wearing British Moroccan/Pakistani model Mariah Idrissi.

The collection is launching exclusively online in the US, but with the rise of modestwear taking the fashion industry by storm, we hope to see it in stores across the UAE very soon.