Melanie wears the Carson blazer, the Virginia top, the Chester pant, and the Wide Strap belt. THE FIRST TIME I WAS REALLY AWARE OF THE HIJAB WAS AFTER 9/11. Discover the latest hijab styles, stories and hijab quotes for the modern Muslim woman. Charlotte Cowles is a New York-based writer​ ​and editor.​ ​Her work has been published in New York Magazine,​ Harper's Bazaar,​ and Art in America. Visit us in As we grow, I need to get more comfortable letting go of control over things that I typically have handled, and that can be scary. Ask us anything. I'm Brittany Cobb, founder of Flea Style. Haute Hijab founder and CEO Melanie Elturk said of the campaign: "'Can't Ban Us' is a statement about the different ways in which organizations and governments have tried to ban hijab … What’s crucial is that we have complementary strengths. “When I first started wearing hijabback in 1998, hijab fashion was hardly a thing in the United States,” Melanie Elturk, the brains behind e-commerce site Haute Hijab, tells Vogue.me in an exclusive interview. This is a conversation we’re constantly having with our community: What are you struggling with? We spent months searching for the perfect fabrics to create hijabs, rigorously testing them to ensure they were breathable, comfortable, washable, durable and beautiful – everything you should expect from your hijab. As soon as I got my driver’s license, I would drive to vintage stores, like the Salvation Army, and get scarves to wear instead. Inspired by the Islamic tradition of ihsaan, doing everything with beauty and excellence, I founded Haute Hijab with my husband and co-founder Ahmed Zedan and immediately got to work. I grew up in a strict, academically rigorous home. From performance hijabs to sustainable innovations, we’re obsessed with fusing design, style and technology into the perfect hijabs for every occasion in a Muslim woman’s life. Here, she talks about the importance of the hijab in Muslim life, and a special pact she made with a friend. I knew that creating the kind of hijabs we needed would mean taking matters into my own hands. They were both from overseas and terrible quality. She'd always rather be at book club. Soft, stretchy and with a slight sheen for polished comfort – no pins needed. Shop Haute Hijabs in jersey, chiffon, silk & more. See our Terms. Haute Hijab was born in 2010 out of a struggle familiar to many Muslim women – it was simply too hard to find comfortable, quality hijabs that made me feel confident. I only had two hijabs at the time, one ivory and one black. November 09, 2018 | Filed in: Woman of the Week. But that’s when my husband and I really started to take the business seriously. Haute Hijab. I had been wearing the hijab in Sunday school for a while, so it wasn’t anything new. In the Indonesian Aceh province, Muslim women are required to wear the hijab and all women are required to do so in Iran.. At first, we were mostly known for selling vintage scarves. MY HUSBAND AND I DON’T HAVE DESIGNATED ‘ON’ OR ‘OFF’ TIMES with work, and I don’t know if we ever will. Sponsored by Women for UMass, Melanie Elturk founder of Haute Hijab will be giving a virtual talk on "Women Empowerment and the Hijab" Melanie Elturk. Free US shipping. The only other time I have that feeling is when I’m getting on a plane and walking down the aisle. It’s not just about the love you have for each other—it’s about real respect. Is this for real?” We met with them a few times in New York, and they gave us a term sheet, which we wound up not taking. THE EXPECTATION FROM MY FAMILY THAT I WOULD WEAR THE HIJAB never came as a surprise. ... CEO and Co-Founder of BestSelf Co. "Rachouan’s work consistently exceeds expectations. Ahmed Zedan is the Co-Founder of Haute Hijab, a leading Modest Fashion brand, and community that empowers women through leadership and community engagement. What color shoes should you wear? Haute Hijab Role. I want to be there for our customers, to serve and empower them, and that’s something I can’t delegate to anybody else. But it was hard—I’d put together this great outfit and then the hijab would just bring me down. In putting on the hijab, I was identifying as Muslim in a public way, so that other people could recognize it. CEO at Haute Hijab. When Elturk graduated from law school as a first-generation American, she had no intention of being an entrepreneur— she founded Haute Hijab with her husband simply as a side hustle. Haute Hijab. The whole Muslim community was shaken. 121 were here. Since we manage different parts of the business, and we have complete confidence in each other, it works. Discover the latest hijab styles, stories and hijab quotes for the modern Muslim woman. She launched the company in 2010 with her husband, Ahmed Zedan, to make it easier for women to find stylish and functional head coverings. Melanie Elturk always thought she’d be a lawyer—an achievement she checked off her list at 23, when she graduated from law school. Haute Hijab operates at the intersection of fashion, technology, and retail. We would still be ourselves, and be as loud, obnoxious, funny, and vivacious as we typically were. But according to Haute Hijab's founder Melanie Elturk, that focus came about almost by accident. The finest materials, crafted by hand for life’s most special days. Contact: Tasneem Kelly. Discover the latest hijab styles, stories and hijab quotes for the modern Muslim woman. The Haute Take fashion blog is a leading destination for hijabis. I was never going to let the hijab get in the way of looking great and stylish all the time. We spent months searching for the perfect fabrics to create hijabs, rigorously testing them to ensure they were breathable, comfortable, washable, durable and beautiful – everything you should expect from your hijab. As Haute Hijab grows, we continue to elevate the experience of wearing hijab. Bright, beautiful clothes designed to transport you. tasneemkelly@umass.edu. We still continue that tradition—we do a weekly drop every Tuesday. Read more of Charlotte's posts. Photographs by Rich Gilligan. As a result, I was able to enter college as a sophomore, finish in three years, and start law school at 20. Biography. Questions about styling or sizing? The Haute Take fashion blog is a leading destination for hijabis. I MET MY HUSBAND IN MY MID-TWENTIES. I THINK IT TAKES A SPECIAL COUPLE to work together as intimately as my husband and I do. MY ROLE AS CEO IS CONSTANTLY EVOLVING, and I’m always trying to figure out how I can be most effective in helping the company. We were aware of the assumption that if you wore the hijab you were shy or meek, and we were the opposite of that. A GOOD-QUALITY HIJAB is about sizing and fabric. We’re a diverse group from various faiths and backgrounds, all passionately owning our mission of creating a world where every woman feels comfortable and confident. I control our Instagram page, and I’m the one doing the live videos. The word of God is that Muslim women are to cover their hair and themselves to be recognized as women of faith, so that they are not bothered or harassed. How This Muslim Designer Made History at … Available M–F, 10AM–7:30PM ET. Then he was recruited for a job in Dubai. By the year 2030, Haute Hijab estimates that one-quarter of the world’s women will be Muslim. During your virtual appointment, your dedicated stylist will walk you through a curated selection of looks, just for you. What started out as a clothing and hijab company out of Melanie and Ahmed’s home is now a thriving hijab brand that – in addition to creating and selling beautifully-designed hijabs – is building community and uplifting Muslim women in numerous ways. As a side hustle, she also sold hijabs online, until the business got too big to manage in addition to her law career. Chiffon in limited-edition prints to suit your every mood. Discover the latest hijab styles, stories and hijab quotes for the modern Muslim woman. Follow our blog for behind-the-scenes company access plus major style inspiration, small business advice, shop small guides and interviews with makers and shakers I'm crushing on. See if we’re popping up near you. There are certain materials that work better on the scalp; they need to be breathable. How can we help? I never feel more aware or visible as a Muslim than at that time. Phone Number 877-412-6591. That’s when we really took off as a brand. by Khaoula Ghanem. We’re always here to help. And nobody else had focused on that before. The word hijab refers to both the head-covering traditionally worn by some Muslim women and Islamic styles of dress in general.. My mother is Catholic and my dad is Muslim, but he wasn’t practicing until after my parents divorced, when I was five. Contact Email hello@hautehijab.com. Game-changing scrunchies, hijab magnets and underscarves for the perfect hijab foundation. It aims to celebrate and empower the hijab-wearing woman by designing innovative products fueled by an obsession with superior service and craftsmanship. The Haute Take fashion blog is a leading destination for hijabis. I created relationships with factories and suppliers, and we suddenly had access to fabrics that were perfect for hijabs, which you couldn’t find in Chicago. We later launched our collection of Ultimate Underscarves, merging cutting-edge fabric technology with meticulous design to create an underscarf unlike any other. Courtesy of Haute Hijab. WE’D BEEN RUNNING THE COMPANY FOR A FEW YEARS in Dubai when a venture capitalist reached out to us about our business. An A-minus was a big no-no. Haute Hijab is a direct-to-consumer commerce company that is building a next-generation modest fashion brand starting with the hijab. The company's accessories are focused on providing modest yet stylish options for Muslim women with a product range focused on modern hijabs, enabling Muslim women to wear the hijab with confidence and changing how they shop for their everyday … Then they’d go online and sell out within eight hours. Be vigilant.” I remember being in the local Meijer grocery store and being so aware, for the first time, of people looking at me. Black Muslims and Black History Month - Featuring Our Experiences Beyond 28 Days Haute Hijab operates at the intersection of fashion, technology, and retail. Founders Ahmed Zedan, Melanie Elturk. Haute Hijab General Information Description. My dad was like, “Be careful. , "We launched with vintage scarves, but we only sold those to … We’re fast typers. Melanie Elturk of Haute Hijab, wearing one of her company’s creations. Melanie Elturk is a lawyer-turned-fashion designer who is the CEO of Haute Hijab, an online brand for modest fashion. Send our team of whipsmart stylists a note. Melanie Elturk always thought she’d be a lawyer—an achievement she checked off her list at 23, when she graduated from law school. He’s also the founder of Muslim Entrepreneurs of NYC, a network of talented entrepreneurs inspired by faith to solve some of the world’s toughest challenges. Meanwhile, I kept running our company on the side, and I got plugged into Dubai’s garment district. By Nargis RahmanFrom the founding this country’s earliest Islamic schools to making inroads in science, technology, education, criminal justice and more, powerful Muslim women paved the way for our ... blog.hautehijab.com. Haute HIjab is the leading US hijab brand that operates at the intersection of fashion, technology, and retail. You can love somebody, but they may not be your best friend, the person you’d always choose if you had the chance to hang out with anyone. Since 2016, Elturk and her husband have run Haute Hijab full time, and have grown the company into one of the leading brands for modern Muslim women. Now we’re a team of 11, and that feels huge—it seems like yesterday that we were just four. OUR HOUSEHOLD WASN’T VERY RELIGIOUS until I was older. Designer of hijabs and accessories intended to provide modest yet stylish options for Muslim women. March 18, 2021 6:00 pm-7:00 pm. And we’re just getting started. I started incorporating the hijab into my whole outfit so that it was one cohesive look. MSA: Melanie Elturk | Haute Hijab. Like the rest of the country, we were already suffering through that enormous tragedy, and then our community took the brunt of much of that anger. 413-345-0320. Haute Hijab Founder and CEO Melanie Elturk. Operating Status Active. I GREW UP IN DETROIT, AND BOTH OF MY PARENTS ARE IMMIGRANTS. Click here to share MM with the women in your life, and we’ll treat you both to something special. No one can replicate me there. The Haute Take fashion blog is a leading destination for hijabis. They also need to be washable, and they can’t be too small or too big. It still is, and it’s the reason that I’m doing what I do today. Smooth and shiny with a liquid drape that’s perfect for formal looks. Melanie Elturk is the co-founder and CEO of Haute Hijab, the leading designer hijab brand in the nation. Exclusive: Haute Hijab Founder Melanie Elturk Talks Luxury Hijabs with Vogue. The world's best hijabs for the world's most powerful women. You can love somebody, but they may not be your best friend, the person you’d always choose if you had the chance to hang out with anyone. Living there made me much more aware of the freedoms we have in the U.S.—I had never felt so proud to be American. Dawn. In January 2018 we released our Luxury Collection, which was featured in media publications including Elle, Glamour, Vogue Arabia and others. If there was no social justice mission within our company, it couldn’t be my full-time job. Tawakkul Karman - First Arab Woman and Youngest Nobel Peace Laureate IT TOOK OVER A YEAR OF KNOCKING ON DOORS, but I finally got a position as a law clerk at the international court in Dubai, writing opinions for three judges. What size should you buy? Whether you're craving something solid or printed, casual or formal – there's something here for you! People were saying, “Lay low.” Some girls were taking off their hijabs altogether. Haute Hijab Co-Founder & CEO Melanie Elturk modeling Haute Hijab. I used to spend hours in my room cutting up magazines and making scrapbooks, and I went to the mall every weekend with my mom. It was a terrifying decision, and it still is. She and I started wearing the hijab at the same time, when we were 13. Light, crisp and wrinkle-resistant – perfect for everyday wear. CEO Kimberly Churches on Making Over Her To-Do Lists and Learning to Say No, Venture Capitalist Sarah Kunst Wants to Give Women Money, The Cosplaying Professor: Susan Napier Is a Rebel at Heart, ‘Treat Assistants Like They Are the Boss,’ and Other Wisdom From Madeline Di Nonno, Felicia Wong Took a U-Turn in Grad School—and Now Runs a Think Tank, Dr. Carrie Stern Took a Year Off from Surgical Residency—and Founded a Startup, Melanie Elturk always thought she’d be a lawyer—an achievement she checked off her list at 23, when she graduated from law school. It’s not enough for us to make good hijabs; we’re determined to make the hijabs you always wished you had—or the ones you never imagined were possible. What’s keeping you from feeling comfortable in your identity as a Muslim? Brand, Design, Web. Event Details . At the end of my senior year, I was voted class clown. In the early days of Haute Hijab, Melanie spent her weekends rummaging through vintage stores, looking for hidden gems she could restore & sell as hijabs. One thing that will never change is my relationship with our customers on social media. FashionJanuary 28, 2018. Chat with one of our stylists. "It was something that came right from our customer base," the Haute Hijab founder … Do you put your full confidence in them? The story of Haute Hijab and how this company has grown to where it is today is one that has the hard work and dedication of CEO Melanie Elturk at its core. Haute Hijab Co-founder Melanie Elturk has built a thriving headscarf business by using her personal style and religious convictions to engage an online community of fashionable Muslim-American women. It was hard to navigate. That was a huge turning point. We were like, “What? Founder Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Last change of the page: 04:39, 23 ноября 2015 Found mistake? I would source them from around the country, clean them in my bathtub, steam them and iron them, and then photograph them in our living room. Some Kind Words "Since 2017, Rachouan has been my go-to guy for anything design and branding. Haute Hijab operates at the intersection of fashion, technology, and retail. Our mission is to empower Muslim women to feel confident wearing the hijab. Clearly, I thought, we deserve better. Come hang out with our community of remarkable women from the comfort of your couch! That was my passion. As the founder of Haute Hijab, Melanie Elturk is part of this mini-boom. Melanie wears the Arbus sweater and the Mejia pant. I’m the creative and he does operations. COO & Co-Founder Haute Hijab Nov 2010 - Present 10 years 5 months. People might say or do things. They came to the U.S. on scholarship to study at the University of Detroit, and that’s where they met. Online. 121 were here. Melanie wears the Rebecca jacket, the Virginia top, the Anita top, and the Mejia pant. Sign up here for exclusive first looks, killer content, and insider intel from the MM styling team. Too much fabric gets bulky, but you still need enough so that it covers your head. The garment has different legal and cultural status in various countries. Your privacy is important to us. We’d always wanted to live abroad, so we thought, Why not? them? It was more a question of when to start, and it made the most sense to begin wearing it full time on the first day of high school, so that everyone would know me that way. We got married a year later and started our business together in 2010, but it was just a fun side hustle that we did in addition to our full-time jobs. I wanted to make sure that women could have a hijab for every occasion in their lives, whether it was a graduation, a wedding, the gym, the operating room because they’re a surgeon—whatever it was, we needed to have a hijab for them. Islam certainly does not own the hijab; Christian and Jewish women wore head coverings before we did, and it’s a tradition that we carried on. There were probably about five other girls in our class who did it too. or check out our other locations. Crafted with leading fabric technology for ultimate comfort. As a side hustle, she also sold hijabs online, until the business got too big to manage in addition to her law career. The most formative person in shaping my Muslim identity was my childhood best friend, who is still my best friend today. Brand, Design, Motion. Haute Hijab Founder Melanie Elturk on Making the Leap from Lawyer to Startup CEO. Last Funding Type Seed. Styling by Nyjerah Cunningham. We talk about our company all the time. My dad is from Lebanon and my mom is from the Philippines. It’s not the garment itself that protects them; it’s their identification as women of faith. I STARTED MY LEGAL CAREER WHEN I WAS 23, and I focused specifically on civil rights and social justice issues. Legal Name Haute Hijab, Inc. Company Type For Profit. His work always exceeds my expectations, and the proof is in the pudding. Inspired by the Islamic tradition of ihsaan, doing everything with beauty and excellence, I founded Haute Hijab with my husband and co-founder Ahmed Zedan and immediately got to work. I think any co-founder relationship needs that, whether you’re married or not. Haute Hijab operates at the intersection of fashion, technology, and retail. Browse all our hijabs in your favorite fabrics, from our most popular jersey and signature chiffon, to versatile wovens and limited-edition prints — plus game-changing underscarves, scrunchies and hijab magnet pins to complete your look. Contact us about anything at all—we’ll find a way to help. I also went to a very intense high school where every class was at the international baccalaureate level. Guided by openness, respect, growth, creativity and fun, we work toward the belief that the customer is always at the center of what we do. Soft, woven fabric with a tighter weave and maxi size. 121 were here. THE QUR’AN IS VERY CLEAR ABOUT WHY WE WEAR THE HIJAB. AFTER WE GOT MARRIED, my husband and I lived in Chicago for two years. According to Melanie Elturk, the Haute Hijab community has been asking for an athletic line for years. We decided to quit our jobs and move to New York City and focus on the brand full-time. Do you trust that person’s abilities? Haute Hijab. Since 2016, Elturk and her husband have run. As a side hustle, she also sold hijabs online, until the business got too big to manage in addition to her law career. 121 were here. I’VE ALWAYS LOVED FASHION. And do you really like them? WHEN WE STARTED WEARING THE HIJAB, my friend and I made a pact: We weren’t going to let the hijab hold us back in any way. I couldn’t understand why such an important garment was so often treated as an afterthought.