A Hamilton woman has launched a marketplace website ‘Modasty‘ that sells modest clothing options.

‘Modasty‘ is an option for some women who find some clothing styles too revealing. The site has been a success, even though it was only launched in November.

Roa’a Mashaleh always struggled to find fashionable trendy clothing that was also reserved.

“As a woman with Muslim faith and background dressing modestly is very important to me, very crucial to me,” said Mashaleh.

The Director of Fashion Exchange at George Brown College, Marilyn McNeil-Morin, says it is a niche market that is growing.

“I particularly have noticed it in, not only our students, but certainly at the Fashion Exchange where we are working with many different cultural backgrounds,” said McNeil-Morin.

“This is something we are working with, even in manufacturing area has said that they want to create clothing for a more modest cultural expression.”

After speaking to more than two hundred women across Canada, Mashaleh realized she wasn’t alone, so she launched ‘Modasty‘. It is an online marketplace that sells clothing from 20 different vendors around the world.

“It’s the first and only online marketplace specifically for modest cultural and ethnic fashion,” says Mashaleh.

From dresses to swimsuits ‘Modasty‘ has reserved clothing ranging from $20 to $200 dollars and sales have especially been up for Ramadan.

Mashaleh says her goal is to get more vendors but also to expand to men’s cultural clothing over the next few years.