Hajia Adiza Bala Faila, The Woman Behind Ghana’s Modest Fashion [Photo Salaamedia]
Ghana’s Modest Fashion Week is an annual event hosted by the Shamfiz J Modelling House. Hajia Adiza Bala Faila is an author and entrepreneur. She is an advocate for sickle cell, the CEO of Shamfiz J Company LTD, and she is the woman behind Ghana’s Modest Fashion Week.
Apart from the Shamfiz J Modelling House, her company has other initiatives, such as the Shamfiz J Foundation, that focuses on charitable work and Ghana’s social development.
“Growing up, I realized that anytime we’d go for Eid-ul-Adha or Eid-ul -Fitr and I looked around me, and I realized that there were a lot of people who did not have even one dress to wear. So, most of the time, they stay back because they don’t have anything to wear, to go to the Mosque, to even pray or to be part of the festivities. So, this is something that I came up with, and then I decided to actually expand it so people can also help.”
Seeing the light on mental illness
Ghana’s Modest Fashion Week
The inception of Ghana’s Modest Fashion Week stems from Faila’s desire to be a model at a young age. She mentions that she has always been passionate about modelling as a child. However, the perception of models in her home and society meant that her parents would ultimately halt her aspirations.
Faila states that they believed that if she became a model, she would go against their faith and that her beliefs and personality would change. So, she began exploring modest fashion to contrast western beauty standards by exploring fashion designs permitted by the Islamic faith.
“Growing up, I realized that, well, I want to do this. I still have the passion. So, what can I do to execute what I actually wanted to do? So, I came up with Shamfiz J [Modelling House], where I groom and train models. Not only Muslims but Christians as well and anyone who wants to join us … We train them, and we let them wear clothes that are appropriate. They don’t expose themselves, still do what they want to do and do what they are passionate about.”
Because of their mutual love for fashion, Faila began Ghana’s Modest Fashion Week. To showcase the talent of models who prefer to wear modest clothing and to support designers who design clothing that aligns with the regulations of Islam. She hopes to give everyone participating in the event the opportunities denied her as a young girl.
Sibongile Mongadi is helping amputees walk again
The reception of modest fashion
Modest fashion is a concept that many people are still grasping. Faila mentions that introducing this concept in her own country was challenging. Not only by making others aware of her initiative but also by trying to change their perceptions of modelling and fashion.
Faila said, “[At first] they actually didn’t embrace everything, they actually didn’t embrace it. Sometimes I remember when I had to go back. [Take] off for a year to go and ask around, ask my people those who are the Sheikhs, and the community, the Mallams and to find out whether what I’m doing is really a good thing or a bad thing. So, I had to go back. I started, went back, did my homework and came back again.”
And even though modest fashion was not fully understood and welcoming at first, Faila is proud her initiative is beginning to gain traction. The Ghanaian people are starting to warm up to the concept. And hopefully, Ghana’s Modest Fashion Week will continue to be a success in years to come.
