Haute Hijab closes $2.3 million funding round

By

Robin Driver

Published
Feb 11, 2019

Haute Hijab, an NYC-based direct-to-consumer fashion and lifestyle label for Muslim women, announced on Monday that it has received $2.3 million in Series Seed funding as the company looks to accelerate its growth and develop as a global brand.

 
The funding round, which was led by Cue Ball with participation from Ludlow Ventures, Sinai Ventures, Maveron, Muse Capital, AngelList and The Helm, will help the company towards its objectives of breaking down stereotypes and becoming the “first global hijab brand that Muslim women can rely on.”
 
Founded in 2010, Haute Hijab is currently the leading US hijab brand, combining an elevated approach to its products – which use high-performance fabrics and range from everyday wear to luxury pieces – with an engaged online community.

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The company’s apparel philosophy can be seen in the recent launch of its Ultimate Underscarf, a hi-tech version of the under-hijab garment especially engineered for its breathability and anti-bacterial properties.
 
“We are pleased to welcome a new group of investors as partners in our mission to empower Muslim women,” commented Haute Hijab co-founder and CEO Melanie Elturk in a release. “Haute Hijab is entering an exciting phase of growth and innovation. We look forward to using this capital infusion to build the first digital-native Muslim cultural lifestyle brand across the globe.”
 
A leader in the modest fashion industry, Elturk has more than two decades of experience in sourcing, styling and selling hijabs, having previously worked as an international attorney specializing in civil rights law. The label’s other co-founder and current COO Ahmed Zedan has over 10 years of experience in performance marketing.
 
As it pushes forward with its goal of empowering Muslim women, Haute Hijab is also tapping into a rapidly growing market. According to figures from British daily newspaper The Guardian cited by the brand, one-third of Muslims worldwide are under the age of 15 and two-thirds are under the age of 30, making for a sizeable global market of millennial and Gen-Z consumers.
 
The brand was also keen to point out that the Muslim middle class is expected to triple to 900 million by 2030 and that the average Muslim woman wears four hijabs a day and owns a total of 100 – further indications of the label’s international potential as it puts its new funding to use.