Before Jawda earned its place in the modest fashion space, it was simply an idea nurtured at home and driven by the hope to build something more.
In this exclusive interview, we speak to Jawda’s founder, Anisah Talukder, about the journey so far from her living room in 2022 to building a growing fashion brand rooted in purpose and intention.
-Abida Hussain Choudhury
Hi Anisah! Lovely to have you join me today! Excited to hear your story and learn about the journey behind Jawda.
Hi Abida! Thank you so much for having me! I’m grateful for the chance to speak about my journey and I hope it inspires others to have faith and follow through with their dreams.
Abida: Let’s start from the beginning! When did you first realise you had a creative spark, and that it could actually become a career?
Anisah: From a really young age, honestly. I was in primary school when I realised I loved anything creative, photography, digital design, video editing. I was always using apps like Photoshop, just experimenting. I started editing videos on YouTube, and made a few pounds from it, that’s when I first saw the potential of turning my creativity into income!
Abida: How did your creative talent then venture into the interest of business?
Anisah: When lockdown hit during my A Levels, I saw lots of businesses popping up online. I started offering services like logo design and video editing, and I was helping people build websites through Shopify. That sparked something real in me, I wanted to do more.
“It all started with my mum. She’s the heart of Jawda. We wouldn’t have come this far without her.”
Abida: So Jawda wasn’t your first business idea?
Anisah: Not at all! I actually tried out a few mini businesses, wedding canvas boards, candles, things like that. But I wasn’t ready to go all in at the time. They were more experiments than anything else.
Abida: What finally led to launching Jawda?
Anisah: I started wearing my hijab during University Alhamdulillah. I quickly realised how limited the modest fashion options were. Most abayas had sequins, belts, things that didn’t really feel like me. I wanted something simple but beautiful, something I could dress up and dress down too for everyday wear.
Abida: How did you end up finding what you wanted?
Anisah: I asked my mum if I were to design an abaya would she be able to make it for me to wear at university. She has such skill with sewing! That’s when I designed the Batwing Abaya we now sell. Girls from my university started approaching me to ask where I got my abaya from, asking if my mum could make it for them too. That’s when the idea sparked. Honestly, it started with my mum. She’s the heart of Jawda. We wouldn’t have come this far without her.
“Suddenly, we woke up to around 200-250 orders to make and dispatch. At that time, only my mum was sewing everything herself.”
Abida: The Batwing abaya is a classic! Is that when Jawda was born?
Anisah: The idea was there, it was only until my brother (the co-founder) joined forces it all came together.
Abida: That’s amazing, it sounds like family plays a big role in your journey. How did the name ‘Jawda’ come about?
Anisah: I came up with the name Jawda, which means ‘quality’ in Arabic. It just felt right. From the very beginning, no matter what we were planning, whether it was the fabric, the fit, or the design, the word ‘quality’ always came up. It became the foundation of everything we wanted the brand to stand for.
Abida: What did those early days of building Jawda look like, emotionally, mentally, and practically?
Anisah: The first year (2022) was honestly the hardest. Me and my brother were thrown into the deep end within just a few months. A couple of our videos went viral and suddenly we woke up to around 200-250 orders to make and dispatch. At that time, only my mum was sewing everything herself.
Abida: That sounds so intense! How did you end up dealing with the increased demand?
Anisah: It was. I remember the living room literally looked like a factory. We didn’t see the floor for over a year, just fabric everywhere. My mum nearly quit because it was too much, so we had to pull in help from my aunties and expand the team.
By December, we hit a peak in demand and had to make a decision to explore manufacturing options. We didn’t believe in mass production or sweatshops, even though it would’ve cut costs massively.That’s when we hired our manufacturing team based in London, who still handmake our special pieces till this day.
Abida: Were you still at University at this point?
Anisah: Yes, I was still at university and had a full exam schedule. I was building the brand late into the night, every single day. It was non-stop.
“I made the decision to drop out of University and give my full attention to Jawda. I’ve never looked back.”
Abida: How was it juggling both?
Anisah: It was around exam season when everything felt like too much. I was juggling University, Jawda, and trying to keep up with life in general. I kept asking myself do I keep going with my degree, or go all in with Jawda?
Abida: That must’ve been a big decision to make. Was it difficult to walk away from your degree and go all in with Jawda?
Anisah: Yeah, it really was. My heart was screaming Jawda, but my mind was holding onto the idea of a backup plan. I made so much dua for clarity. I started having these vivid dreams like Jawda being something huge, having a warehouse with billboards and everything. After sitting my exams and spending the summer reflecting, I made the decision to drop out of uni and give my full attention to Jawda. I’ve never looked back.
Abida: Wow, that’s impressive! Once you made that choice, did you notice a change in your work?
Anisah: Definitely. I started pouring my energy into designing more intentionally. That’s when I really began tuning into the little things people around me were saying to see if there is a possibility in making a change.
Abida: Is that where you get your inspiration for your pieces?
Anisah: A lot of ideas come from conversations with my family or friends. Like when you were pregnant, you were telling me how hard it was to find modest nursing-friendly options, that actually inspired the side wrap abaya!
Abida: Forever grateful for the side wrap abayas! Do you also look at trends or other brands?
Anisah: All the time! I’m always shopping around, online or in person. I’ll spot something I love from a different brand and think, how could I recreate this in a more accessible way? I try to recreate that luxury feel with more affordable materials, without compromising on quality.
“It wasn’t all positive. People laughed. They’d tease the idea of me starting a modest wear brand”
Abida: Are there any particular pieces that hold a special meaning for you?
Anisah: Definitely the batwing abaya, since it was the first piece to be created and it went viral! Each pleat is individually hand-pleated, and the fabric is genuinely high quality. That piece really helped us find the kind of customer who values craftsmanship and timeless modesty. It’s always going to feel special to me.
Abida: That idea of craftsmanship really stands out in Jawda’s work. What kind of values are at the heart of what you create?
Anisah: Modesty, always. You’ll never see a top that’s not long sleeve, or a skirt that’s too short. I always keep in mind the importance of covering. And quality, that’s non-negotiable. There’ve been times where we’ve delayed a launch even when the product was in high demand, just because the fabric wasn’t exactly what we wanted. I’d rather delay something than release it knowing it’s not perfect.
“my motivation always comes back to my customers. When I see their messages, or people wearing Jawda.”
Abida: What kind of impact do you hope Jawda has on the people who come across it?
Anisah: I hope Jawda inspires young women to have courage and trust in Allah to go after what they believe in. I also hope it makes people think about the choices they make when shopping. Fast fashion has made it seem so normal to get things cheap and fast, but someone else often pays that price. You can still be stylish and confident without it coming at someone else's expense.
Abida: You opened this business at a pretty young age, how did that feel?
Anisah: I was 20 when I started, and honestly, it was daunting. Thankfully, my brother, who has incredible experience, was so empowering and supportive. And from a personal side, I had a really strong circle of family and friends pushing me to go for it. But outside of that circle? It wasn’t all positive. People laughed. They’d tease the idea of me starting a modest wear brand in such a saturated market, especially because I hadn’t finished my degree or worked anywhere “official.” I was still figuring out who I was, so it was scary. But I had faith and trust in Allah. That grounded me.
Abida: Did you ever feel like you were falling behind or not doing enough?
Anisah: Absolutely. I’ve had those moments, comparing myself to others, wondering if I’m doing enough. The business side was tough in the beginning. Cash flow was tight. I couldn’t pay myself. I’d see people my age doing luxury things, buying makeup and skincare, and I was just trying to survive. I sacrificed a lot. I remember having major imposter syndrome even with all the orders coming in and the shopify awards!
Even now, I still get doubts. Things are better now, I have an amazing husband who supports me, and my motivation always comes back to my customers. When I see their messages, or people wearing Jawda.
Abida: When did you begin to feel like things were easing up, especially when it came to cash flow?
Anisah: Like most startups, every penny we made went straight back into the business. Eventually, we had the business valued and secured amazing investment. That changed everything. We were finally able to experiment with more complex fabrics, designs, and even invest in machinery to speed up production which lowered costs in the long run. It gave us breathing room.
Abida: Would you say building Jawda has been healing for you on a personal level?Anisah: Definitely. Speaking from personal experience, being a girl, I grew up hearing “no” a lot. There’s this silent countdown, marriage, kids, like your time for dreaming is limited. But I’ve always believed you can do all that and still pursue dreams. Jawda helped me realise I can do this. That I am doing it. It’s healing because I’m finally living out my young dream.
Abida: That’s inspiring! What personal values do you think carried you through the harder moments and kept you going?
Anisah: My work ethic and sense of accountability, which definitely comes from my dad. He’s one of the most hardworking people I know. That mindset really shaped me. He always pushed us to do well, made us believe we could achieve more. There was never a limit placed on us. I definitely carry that with me every day in how I show up for Jawda.
Abida: The way you’ve carried your dad’s work ethic into Jawda is so powerful. before we go, is there anything exciting on the horizon you’d like to share?
Anisah: Yes! We’ve got something really special coming, our Autumn collection. Expect fresh, printed floral designs that still hold true to Jawda’s modest, elevated aesthetic. I can’t wait for everyone to see it.
Abida: I can’t wait to see the new collection! Honestly, it’s been so inspiring hearing your story. Thank you for being so open and real with us.
Anisah: Thank you so much for having me Abida. This has been such a reflective chat, I don’t often get to sit and think about everything like this, so I really appreciate it.
