An online fashion brand that caters to Muslim women is opening a retail store in a mainstream shopping center.
Founders of the Virginia-based Zeena say they plan a grand opening on Jan. 31 at Tysons Corner Center in Fairfax County, Va.
Created by sisters Bayan and Amany Jondy, Zeena was launched online in 2011 and offers everything from headscarves and skirts to activewear and swimsuits. The brick-and-mortar site will be just outside a Nordstrom department store.
“The mid-size boutique will offer its unique, demure designs at affordable prizes, but will also offer an array of designs and accessories not sold on its online site to appeal to a broader audience,” a news release says.
Muslim women in the U.S. say that, at times, they have difficulty finding fashionable clothing that meets their religious needs to dress modestly. They might employ seamstresses or purchase their clothing online, often from overseas. Some travel to bigger cities like Chicago, New York or Toronto. Others turn to local specialized marketplaces that import clothing, such as the Global Mall on the North Side.
But U.S.-designed fashions are harder to find. The Jondy sisters said they formed their company to fill a void after discovering how difficult it was to find trendy yet appropriate clothing when shopping themselves.