I Design Modest Clothing—These Are the Questions I Get Asked All the Time

As part of an ongoing partnership, British-born fashion designer Hana Tajima teamed up with Uniqlo to design a modest F/W 20 collection that was released last week. Her designs experiment with elegant silhouettes that are intentionally nonrestrictive and comfortable. Part of this comfort comes from the pieces themselves—the collection is stocked with items like breezy wide-cut pants, loose button-down tops, and flowy dresses in an array of rich neutrals such as sage green, cream, and rust. The other part comes in from Uniqlo’s innovative fabrics, such as Airism, which has the technology to wick moisture and release heat, all while providing UV protection. That technology is exactly how Tajima is able to design a layering piece like a turtleneck that can help you stay cool and that you can wear year-round.

Tajima’s collection for Uniqlo isn’t just about modest clothing, though. It’s about clothing that allows the person wearing it to express their identity and confidence. “We women are constantly adapting to change. I want clothing that is always a part of myself, items that are able to shift freely and easily from one style to something else,” Tajima said in a press release. “While retaining comfort, by focusing on form over decoration, I want these clothes to redefine what it is to be feminine. To let our own personal stories be the stories we wear.”

We spoke with Tajima to hear more about the collection and to answer some of the fashion questions she's asked about most. Ahead, learn about where she looks for design inspiration, her top styling tips, and the pieces she’s already wearing.

“Long answer is that I’m really interested in the way that clothes are both the expression of something very esoteric and something outside of ourselves, but the form in which they present is this very tangible, human thing that we can all understand. And so the interplay of those two things is very exciting to me and very interesting because I do think that clothes are powerful. They can change the way we think and the way we think about ourselves. So that is the main inspiration on why I do what I do.

“But simple answer is that sometimes I’ll see someone with a sense of style that I think is really intriguing, and through the process of trying to figure out why I think it’s so interesting, that inspires me to want to make things.”

“For colours that go well together, especially ones that you’re wearing, what you can do is either just go full-on head-to-toe in one colour—doesn’t matter how bright it is—you know it’s going to match because it’s the same colour. Or keep your base pretty neutral, so darks, blacks, and blues, with a pop of colour or neutrals with then a little pop of colour. Because if you just have a really neutral base with a little pop of colour, you know that’s going to work.”

“Tips for dressing shorter—which I am—it’s really just about balance and proportion. So that might mean if you’re shorter, higher waistlines to give you a little extra length in your leg, but whatever size you are, whatever height you are, the most important thing is that your clothes fit you. So make friends with a tailor, find someone that you trust, someone that's really good at what they do, or learn to do it yourself."

Next, see our guide to the key trends for autumn winter 2020.