The fashion stylist who launched a successful modest wear business

Adlina Anis went from being one of the few hijab-wearing fashion stylists to being one of the pioneering entrepreneurs in stylish modest fashion for Muslim women in Singapore.

- Vanessa Tai

Most entrepreneurs will tell you that running a business is no easy feat, especially if you are operating in a niche market. Adlina Anis, a content creator and former fashion stylist, can relate: The 40-year-old is the founder of her eponymous brand (Adlinaanis.com), which offers stylish modest wear designed for Muslim women.

Adlina has always been focused on innovation - she was the first in Singapore to offer a earphone-friendly hijab in 2013, as well as hijabs designed for sports, before mainstream sports brands caught on years later.

The brand also sets itself apart with its assiduousness and painstaking attention to detail. "We care deeply about the quality of our products, and I think our customers appreciate that attention to detail and quality," she says. "We don't outsource anything, and we do everything in-house from sourcing of materials to tech stack and marketing." Adlina and her team - two staffers in Singapore, and seven in Indonesia manage the development and the running of the website themselves.

Adlina is no stranger to standing out from the crowd. After graduating from Temasek Polytechnic with a diploma in Fashion Design in 2007, she cut her teeth as a stylist for local fashion magazines like Prestige, L'Officiel and Amica. In the dynamic world of high fashion, Adlina's journey was unique - she was one of the few fashion stylists who wore a hijab, challenging stereotypes and breaking barriers in an industry often perceived as exclusive.