Sometimes when things don’t go as expected, you have to pause and take a step back. You reflect, you realign, and you remind yourself why you began in the first place. That’s exactly what we’re doing at Anaqa Inspired — not because we’ve failed, but because we’ve grown. Growth isn’t always about numbers or sales. Sometimes it’s about returning to your values, even if that means starting again.
How It All Began
Anaqa Inspired Abayas was founded in 2017 with a simple vision — to bring the elegance of Dubai-style abayas to the UK at an affordable price. From the very beginning, our mission went beyond fashion. It was about encouraging Muslim women to dress modestly with confidence and to remind ourselves that modest wear can be both beautiful and dignified.
Our intention was sincere. We wanted to build a brand that stayed true to our faith, free from anything doubtful or haram. We wanted to avoid using music, avoid promoting beauty for the sake of attraction, and keep our content pure and modest.
In 2018, we stopped trading. At that stage, we didn’t have the time, experience, or understanding to run the brand properly. But the vision never left us. In 2021, we decided to return, ready to give Anaqa Inspired another chance.
This time, we wanted to do everything better — better photography, better marketing, better products. But somewhere along the way, we drifted. We became more focused on growth, trends, and engagement. Slowly, our content began to move away from the values we had set in the beginning.
We made money, and we were proud of what we built while still working full time. But then came the difficult moments. We made mistakes, we lost money, and we faced setbacks that made us stop and think. We are now in a period of reflection — asking ourselves what went wrong and whether the issue was beyond numbers or marketing.
Maybe we had lost our direction. Maybe Allah was showing us that true success doesn’t come from followers or sales, but from sincerity and intention.
A More Halal Way Forward
Through reflection, one thing became clear. If we were going to continue, we had to do it properly — in a way that aligned with our values and pleased Allah.
We’re not claiming perfection, nor are we claiming to know exactly what is halal or haram. Only Allah knows best. But what we can do is make a sincere effort to make our brand as halal and as pure as possible.
For us, that means removing the display of beauty. Our future images will no longer show faces. We’ll focus on showing abayas as they are meant to be seen — as garments of modesty and grace. It also means removing music from our videos, creating content that feels peaceful and respectful. And above all, it means renewing our intention, that everything we do is for the sake of Allah before anything else.
Over the next few months, you’ll start to notice changes across our brand. Our product photography will become more modest and simple. Our videos will be quiet and natural. Our messaging will focus on faith, humility and purpose rather than trends.
We’re also simplifying our collections so you can find what you need easily. Whether it’s Everyday Abayas, Occasion Abayas or Embellished Abayas, every piece will be designed with modesty and quality in mind.
While we’re making changes to how we present ourselves, the heart of Anaqa Inspired will stay the same.
Our commitment to excellent customer service remains. Our focus on quality abayas at fair prices remains. And our dedication to serving women who value modesty will never change.
You can still find your favourites in our Black Abayas, Embroidered Abayas, Khimars and Accessories collections.
Looking Ahead
Our next full collection is planned for Ramadan 2026, Insha’Allah. It will follow this renewed direction, reflecting our return to simplicity and sincerity. In the meantime, we may release smaller drops, each one created with the same purpose and intention — modest, simple and elegant.
Until then, you can explore our New Arrivals, our Sale, Girls Abayas and Hajj & Umrah Abayas.
A Closing Message
Running a business isn’t easy. There are moments of joy and moments of struggle. There are times when you move forward, and times when you lose your way. But what matters most is returning — returning to your values, to your purpose, and to your faith.
This isn’t a rebrand. It’s a return.
A return to modesty.
A return to why we started in the first place.
We ask Allah to bless this new chapter, to forgive our shortcomings, and to guide us towards what is best.
Ameen.
