Ma’ruf Amin expects Indonesia to become global muslim fashion hub

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has said that he expects Indonesia, especially Jakarta, to become a global center for Muslim fashion and thereby, promote the domestic fashion industry.

“World fashion capitals are New York, London, Paris, and Milan, so I do not think it is an exaggeration if we aspire to make Jakarta and other cities in Indonesia the world’s Muslim fashion capital,” Amin remarked at the opening of the “Jakarta Muslim Fashion Week (JMFW) 2023” here on Thursday.

According to him, advancing the Indonesian Muslim fashion industry will require collaboration between the government, entrepreneurs, designers, and celebrities, including athletes who can participate in promoting hijab fashion at international competitions.

“We are proud to use our own country’s wealth in our fashion products. Let’s use the diverse Nusantara (archipelago) fashion from all provinces so that our fabrics (products) will become more global,” the VP remarked.

All capital that exists must be optimized to advance the Indonesian Muslim fashion industry, which demands creativity, innovation, collaboration, and strategies based on research and knowledge, he added.

“Muslim fashion is a living business, has great value, and bright prospects. That is why this business is increasingly attracting the attention of many countries, even countries with very few Muslim populations,” Amin added.

The Vice President noted that, in 2016–2017, Muslim women’s fashion expenditure reached US$44 billion globally, and global Muslim consumers’ spending on fashion is expected to reach US$311 billion by 2024.

Meanwhile, domestically, the Muslim fashion industry has also shown progressive development: in 2021, the industry grew by 18.2 percent, with total consumption reaching Rp300 trillion. Meanwhile, Muslim fashion exports increased by 12.5 percent to reach US$4.6 billion during the same period.

“Realizing the opportunities and potentials we have as the world’s largest Muslim-populated country, it is just right that we have a vision of becoming a global Muslim fashion center,” Amin added.