The idea for Peran was conceived in 2023 when I was still in college and made the intention to strengthen my faith. As a teenager and young adult, I often found myself confused and questioning the religion I had grown up with but knew very little about. As a child, I was taught rules I had to follow in order to be considered a “good Muslim”, but as an adult I recognized a gap in my Islamic education that would have fostered the sort of faith I sought out as an adult. In my pursuit of understanding, I immersed myself in my local Muslim community. I found a mosque in my town and began attending Jummah prayer every Friday. Each time I visited, I noticed the women elegantly dressed in beautiful abayas, while I always felt out of place in my oversized hoodies and sweatpants. Naturally, I wanted to blend in, so I scoured the internet and every abaya store I knew to find one I could afford as a college student. However, I quickly realized that most were beyond my budget. At the same time, I was also making the personal transition away from fast fashion to exclusively thrifting after learning about the exploitative and evil nature of fast fashion brands, so naturally I began to look for second hand stores that sold abayas, but to my genuine surprise, I could not find a single one. And so, the idea for Peran was born.
Peran sits at the intersection of my belief that clothing should be a universal right that does not come at the expense of another human being or the planet and my love for fashion. We should be able to wear the clothes that form our identities and shape our cultures without feeling financial strain or guilt. With Peran, my hope is to give back to the community that has surrounded me with warmth and support for as long as I can remember—Muslim women. If Peran makes your life a little easier in this ever-changing world, I will know that I have achieved my goal.
