This designer’s helping hijabi women channel Marilyn Monroe
If you haven’t already heard of Deqa Hussein, you definitely will soon.
The San Diego native and fashion designer focuses on covered-up fashion in her apparel collection Rayie, as well as in her every day life.
Galore sat down with Deqa to find out what’s next for her in fashion and how she constructs modest, yet stylish, fashion looks.
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How did you come up with the concept for your modest clothing line, Rayie?
Rayie came about my senior year. I kind of wanted to go into designing but I really wanted to see if I could do it. At the time, I was into silk fabrics and all these different concepts that were coming out on runways that fashion year. I wanted to create something modest but at the same time, something anybody could wear. I was seeing on different blogs, on my favorite stylists, and on the Kardashians that everyone was wearing silk dusters at the time. So I was like, “Why don’t I take that and create a modern twist?”
I made a couple colors and wore it and everyone loved it, so I put it up online and on my Instagram and had people buying it. It was really fun until I saw how much work was going into it, and I was working and going to school at the time. Right now, I’m doing entrepreneurship and I want to do fashion design in the future, so Rayie’s going to come back but not right now. I have a lot of designs in mind right now. I’m thinking of going to LA soon and coming back with a new collection.
What’s some beauty advice you would give anyone of any age?
I really love inner beauty. You could be really beautiful on the outside [but] really ugly on the inside. So I feel like being a really genuine person and outgoing, being nice to everyone, and having confidence is important. You gotta believe in yourself always.
What’s your favorite beauty look?
My hijab is a beauty thing that I like. It was obviously hard growing up in America having it and as I grew older, I feel like it became a bold statement. I would walk in a room and it was something that made me different, and does to this day. So I’m more confident wearing it now. The hijab I always wear is my black hijab because it goes with everything. Lipstick is something makeup-wise that I can’t go without because it’s like, so bold and it kind of symbolizes a woman.
How do you find looks that are stylish but still true to you?
That’s kind of why I really aspire to be a stylist in the future because I love fashion but I try to put my modest twist on it at the end of the day. I keep up with the latest trends, and me and my friend are always on blogs and always at stores, putting outfits together, seeing what’s in, and finding a way to keep it modest and style it with our hijabs. And it’s also really fun when you’re just like, “How would I wear this? Because I have to stay modest but how would I put it together and it still looks trendy?” It’s fun and it’s very creative.
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Where do you shop to find modest fashion looks?
I shop everywhere. When it comes to hijabs, I buy from local stores here in San Diego or online. A lot of the modest hijabi brands are actually on the come up, since this past year, so I try to support them. When it comes to clothes, I literally shop from Zara to H&M, wherever I find pieces. I thrift as well.
Any thrifting secrets?
When it comes to thrifting, I feel like you have to have a specific thing in mind that you want. Instead of going and like, looking for just anything. Knowing that you’re looking for high-waisted jeans or an antique top, knowing what you want when you’re going there, that’s my secret.
You talk about your year of shine, what does that mean for you this year?
I really came into 2017 with a positive mindset and I was like, I’m not gonna let anything hold me back, I’m going to take every opportunity. I want to evolve more, I want to be out there more in the styling world, I want to make a name for myself. Year of shine means just do your best, basically.
