MASON SENIOR DESIGNS A FASHION FORWARD BUSINESS WITH A PURPOSE
By Angelique Arintok, Staff Writer
Mason senior Sana Mahmood started her fashion business called Veiled Beaut in April 2016. The company caters to Muslim-American women who struggle to find high-quality clothes and hijabs (a kind of Muslim headscarf) at an affordable price.
Due to the lack of options Mahmood encountered when she started to wear her hijab, she says that she “began to conduct [her] own research [to] see if other Muslim women were having the same issue.” What she noticed is that the variety in style, materials, and colors in clothes and hijabs were simply not diverse enough.
Mahmood took the initiative in starting her own business using self-taught practices and reading both print and online materials. She adds that “there are so many free resources out there, [she] never felt to buy anything extra.”
The business is in good hands with Mahmood as the founder and main operator. To assist her with daily operations and execution, she has a dedicated team of interns ready to take Veiled Beaut to the next level.
Mahmood’s executive intern, Maryam Ahmed, was described as an “invaluable asset to [the] company,” as her and the team facilitate various campaigns, projects, events, photoshoots, and marketing tactics to further the reach of the business.
Veiled Beaut has a number of clothing, scarves, and accessories available on the website. The various patterns, colors, textures, and materials provide the consumers with plentiful options. Scarves are priced as low as $10, and a bundle of five cotton essentials costs $40. Classic dusters and kimonos are also sold on the website, ranging from $35-$50. All products are subject to intermittent sales, making them even more affordable than the regular retail price.
According to Mahmood, the company’s mission “consists of two things: providing Muslim women with affordable, high-quality products and the second is to instill a sense of responsibility within [the] customers.”
Businesses like Veiled Beaut remove the stresses and worries of finding wardrobe essentials. The demographic of Veiled Beaut goes beyond just Muslim-American women. Anyone can be seen wearing these pieces. Additionally, Mahmood wants the company to inspire consumers.
In the summer of 2016, the founder herself visited Jordan with a non-profit organization called Helping Hand. There, she volunteered with Syrian and Palestinian refugees. She spent time in Jordan “listening to the stories of refugees, playing with the orphans, and assisting any way [she] could.”
After her visit, Mahmood was persistent in contributing to the cause. Thus, she says she instilled a “10% donation policy in which [Veiled Beaut] donates 10% of all yearly profits to Helping Hand.”
Her goal is to help sponsor the refugee orphans, and to increase awareness of national crises occurring in Middle Eastern countries.
In fact, Mahmood sees Veiled Beaut employing refugees in the near future.
She says that she “see[s] a company whose products are solely made by these hardworking individuals.”
In the next few years, Mahmood also hopes to expand her clothing line and provide more student uniforms to Islamic private schools. One of the company’s mottos is to “purchase with a purpose.” She hopes her engagement with Muslim-American women and the community will increase awareness toward a larger cause than herself.
The company has been on the rise since April 2016, and is projected to grow as time goes on. Mason senior, Sana Mahmood, centers the business on the consumers, while simultaneously contributing to good causes. Veiled Beaut truly embodies fashion moving forward.
To view their clothes and scarves online, visit their website at www.veiledbeaut.com, follow them on Instagram @veiled.beaut, or search for “Veiled Beaut” on Facebook.
Photos Courtesy of Sana Mahmood
