In my specialist area of teaching Fashion Design, I’ve become increasingly aware of how faith intersects with students’ experiences—particularly for Muslim women. Kimberlé Crenshaw’s theory of intersectionality helps us understand that individuals don’t experience discrimination or privilege through a single lens (like race, gender, or religion), but through the overlapping of these identity categories. In the classroom, this means faith cannot be viewed in isolation from other social factors such as gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic background.
From working in an Arts Community Centre in Tower Hamlets for over 15 years—a borough with a large Muslim population—I’ve seen firsthand how Muslim female students often face layered challenges. Some come from families where pursuing art and fashion is not traditionally encouraged, requiring conversations with parents to help bridge cultural and generational gaps. These students must not only navigate the expectations of their families but also the unconscious biases of peers and institutional structures.
One student recently expressed her ambition to intern at both a luxury and modest fashion brand. Her peers reacted with surprise, assuming she wasn’t “fashion enough” due to her visibly modest clothing. This moment revealed how cultural capital is often narrowly defined in Western fashion education. Crenshaw would point to this as an example of intraracial and intragender bias—where even within a shared racial or gender group, faith-based expression can result in marginalisation.
The resource “Islam, Women and Sport” by H. Jawad (2022) echoes these tensions, showing how Muslim women are often made hyper-visible through their dress yet simultaneously rendered invisible in institutional structures. This parallels my students’ experiences in fashion classrooms: they are seen as “other,” both visually and culturally. And like the athletes in Jawad’s article, they must continually justify their presence and ability in a field that doesn’t always make space for them.
University-wide data from UAL confirms the underrepresentation of Muslim students in art and design, particularly women. Yet I see so much potential and ambition in these students. During Ramadan, I observe how fasting affects their concentration and attendance—factors often misunderstood or overlooked by both staff and peers. In one of our recent PGCert sessions, several colleagues weren’t even aware of the location or condition of our prayer rooms. Muslim students have told me these spaces are shared with male students and lack privacy, creating discomfort in what should be a protected space.
Crenshaw’s framework encourages us to critically examine how systems of power—be it gender norms in fashion, institutional neglect, or peer stereotyping—compound to create barriers. It also encourages action: in my teaching, I advocate for inclusive curriculum design, including modest fashion as a valid and creative field. I connect students with role models and internship opportunities in both mainstream and modest fashion brands. I also push for awareness training among staff and students to challenge assumptions and promote allyship.
Ultimately, we must ensure that our classrooms are not just diverse, but genuinely inclusive—spaces where students of all faiths can see themselves reflected, respected, and represented.Where I can I ask our Muslim students to do open days and any talks we might be doing for perspective students, I also make sure wea re highlighting them for scholarship opportunities.
References (Harvard Style)
Crenshaw, K. (1989) ‘Demarginalizing the intersection of race and sex: a Black feminist critique of antidiscrimination doctrine, feminist theory and antiracist politics’, University of Chicago Legal Forum, 1989(1), pp. 139–167.
Crenshaw, K. (1991) ‘Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color’, Stanford Law Review, 43(6), pp. 1241–1299.
Gilliat-Ray, S. (2005) ‘“Sacralising” sacred space in public institutions: A case study of the prayer space at the Millennium Dome’, Culture and Religion, 6(3), pp. 287–308.
Jawad, H. (2022) Islam, Women and Sport. London: I.B. Tauris.
Lewis, R. (2013) Modest Fashion: Styling Bodies, Mediating Faith. London: I.B. Tauris.
Said, E. (1978) Orientalism. New York: Pantheon.
Tarlo, E. (2010) Visibly Muslim: Fashion, Politics, Faith. Oxford: Berg.
Hi Berni,
This post is fantastic, your fashion experience and expertise really highlights how faith and the intersection of faith with other factors, affects our students on varying scales from day to day but also wider in the expectations of those around them.
I feel that your points around the prayer rooms at UAL – staff not knowing where they are and students saying they are not meeting their needs – are similar to one of the things I took away from the articles we were set as pre-reading, that some times the things that people are thinking individually need to be written down and communicated for all to see so thank you.
Your closing comments about classrooms being diverse and inclusive is really powerful and I think the work you are doing with connecting brands and students, raising the profile of modest fashion within the subject area and pushing for awareness training is incredible.
Hi Jess, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful comment – I always really value your input. You have such a strong understanding of art and design pedagogy, and your insights consistently help me look at things from a broader and more informed perspective. It’s clear how well read and knowledgeable you are, and I can completely see how that supports your work in the library – you’re brilliant at connecting research with real-world teaching contexts. Your point about the need for clear communication around student needs, like prayer rooms, really struck me – it’s such a practical and necessary reminder. I also really appreciate your encouragement around my work with modest fashion and inclusion; it means a lot coming from you! As I know how passionate you have been in the PGCERT classes. Your feedback will definitely help shape how I continue developing inclusive practices in my teaching. Thanks again – your comments are always so helpful and appreciated!
Hi Berni,
This is such a thought-provoking post—thank you for sharing your insights and experiences.
One point that really stood out to me was how Muslim women’s clothing is often interpreted through a Western lens. I’m particularly curious about how traditional or religiously coded clothing—often assumed to be restrictive—might instead serve as a form of empowerment.
How can such a dress encourage autonomy and the right to choose how one is seen and represented, especially within creative fields like fashion design?
Hi Jess, thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful comment – I always really value your input. You have such a strong understanding of art and design pedagogy, and your insights consistently help me look at things from a broader and more informed perspective. It’s clear how well read and knowledgeable you are, and I can completely see how that supports your work in the library – you’re brilliant at connecting research with real-world teaching contexts. Your point about the need for clear communication around student needs, like prayer rooms, really struck me – it’s such a practical and necessary reminder. I also really appreciate your encouragement around my work with modest fashion and inclusion; it means a lot coming from you! As I know how passionate you have been in the PGCERT classes. Your feedback will definitely help shape how I continue developing inclusive practices in my teaching. Thanks again – your comments are always so helpful and appreciated!
Hey Berni, I really like this blog post! Your reflection captures how faith, gender, and culture overlap to shape Muslim women’s experience in fashion education. The story of the student labelled “not fashion enough” for seeking both luxury and modest-wear internships shows how narrowly the field defines cultural capital!
Crenshaw’s framework helps us see that these pressures are systemic, not individual. Making modest fashion visible in the core curriculum and ensuring suitable prayer and work spaces are small but decisive steps toward genuine inclusion. Thank you for pushing the conversation from diversity rhetoric to lived reality! Thanks Berni!
Hi Berni,
Another really great blog post.
I felt that your personal connection to the subject, especially through your experiences in education, made the piece even more compelling and relatable.
I particularly resonated with the part where you wrote about how little awareness there can be within universities around students of faith: “During Ramadan, I observe how fasting affects their concentration and attendance—factors often misunderstood or overlooked by both staff and peers.”
I also feel that we often lack enough insight into the different aspects of our students’ identities. This highlights a quiet but significant element of inclusion that is so often missed. Small insights like the one you shared can go a long way in helping foster greater understanding and create truly inclusive environments.