Starting London Fashion Week with scrambled eggs, a boiling espresso, and an overfilled bag with a broken zip endangering my media kit and makeup? (Check!) An all-pink outfit to stay on brand? (Check!) Getting lost and overstimulated ten minutes into the venue? (Check!)
This time, my fashion journey led me into a different kind of environment: The Source Fashion Show—a three-day expo integrating fashion runways, debates, and vendor stands featuring eco-focused manufacturers from all over the world.
After picking my jaw up off the floor from witnessing a flawlessly choreographed catwalk—where models strutted down the runway wrapped in sophisticated pieces from international designers—I accidentally made eye contact with a trio of lovely ladies. Amidst small talk, I discovered that one of them was the mastermind behind the breath-taking modest bridal dresses I had just seen.
As someone who grew up obsessed with Winx Club and Bratz, modest fashion has always been something I admired from a distance, knowing I wasn’t necessarily the target audience. Unfortunately, some designers tend to get "lazy" when creating these pieces, relying on the same predictable silhouettes. But this? This was different.
These weren’t just flowing silk tunics draped over a body, the typical go-to when the words modest fashion are thrown around. What I saw was a masterful deconstruction of the peplum—reinvented a thousand times over. Puffy sleeves, sleeveless designs, long layered skirts, structured blocked dresses, romantic reimagining of Peter Pan’s Wendy pajamas, and ethereal nymph-inspired gowns, all in varying shades of white. These dresses were so stunning and full of personality that, for the first time, I found myself feeling included in their world.
I glanced back at the designer, watching as she quietly recorded her collection’s moment on the runway, a tender smile on her face, a backpack resting by her feet. I had no choice but to Google her, curiosity fully taking over.
Sabina Motasem. Winner of Marie Claire UK’s Best Sustainable Bridalwear award two years in a row.
I put my phone down. Blinked in disbelief, momentarily forgetting to look away. She made eye contact with me again and waved.
Oh God. I was staring.
I smiled, quickly looking away. Nice. Now she must think I’m Joe Goldberg in neon pink. Not bad.
But I just had to know more. Just five more minutes with the creator of these stunning dresses... and I got them.
(STAY TUNED for Part 2, featuring my short video interview with Sabina Motasem!)
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