On World Hijab Day, Minnesota designer shares what makes a beautiful hijab

CATHY WURZER: Today is World Hijab Day. It's the annual celebration of the millions of women who wear the Muslim head covering. And it was started in 2013 to educate those who don't know much about it and why it's worn.

The hijab is also at the heart of style for thousands of Minnesotans. And a Minnesotan happens to be the founder of one of the top luxury hijab brands in North America. Hilal Ibrahim is the CEO and Founder of Henna and Hijabs, and she joins us now to talk about her work. Hilal, welcome. And thanks for taking the time.

HILAL IBRAHIM: Thank you for having me, Cathy. And happy World Hijab Day.

CATHY WURZER: Thank you. And to you as well. Tell me, how did you get started designing your own hijab?

HILAL IBRAHIM: Really started the company out of a need that I first experienced when I was in high school, and wanted something that was very special, and stylish, and unique. And I couldn't find it in the market at the time. And I thought to myself, I will make what I can't find, and went to, actually, our local fabric outlet, SR Harris. And, really, that's how the company and the vision for the company was born-- out of a need that I personally experienced.

CATHY WURZER: Tell me, what makes, in your eyes, for a beautiful hijab? What was missing-- were they just too plain? Or were you looking for something more elegant? What were you envisioning?

HILAL IBRAHIM: So one of the biggest things that was missing from the market at the time was we couldn't go into mainstream retailers and find a hijab to go with our outfit that we were already shopping for. So scarves existed. They were either too sheer, or too short, or the patterns weren't there, or the style wasn't there. And really, really, really was interested in creating something unique and something that spoke to our identity as Muslim women. And that's really what was missing.

CATHY WURZER: How do you want women to feel when they're wearing one of your hijabs?

HILAL IBRAHIM: Beautiful, liberated, and strong. And the hijab is the head covering for Muslim women, and it's visible. We leave our house every single day with a headscarf on that everyone can identify. And so we're very-- and I want Muslim women to feel confident in their hijab and know that they are celebrated everywhere they go.

CATHY WURZER: A few years back, we should say to folks, that you designed and launched what was the first ever medical-grade hijab, and, I believe, that was in the health partner system in Minnesota, right?

HILAL IBRAHIM: Yep. So in November of 2019, we launched the first ever medical grade hijab in North America and globally. This product did not exist before. And health partners in Park Nicollet became the first health care system in the United States to offer this product to patients and employees. And since then, it's been really exciting.

We've been able to expand globally and nationally with those products. We have a medical grade hijab. We have a disposable hijab for the OR and surgical areas. And so, yeah, it's been a need not only in fashion, but also a need that we've been able to fill in health care.

CATHY WURZER: Didn't you used to work in medicine?

HILAL IBRAHIM: Yes. I actually have a health care background. The very special piece of launching at Park Nicollet health partners was that that's the health care system I volunteered in when I was 14 years old. So when we launched when I was 25, it was a full circle celebration of launching in the very same hallways that I once volunteered in. And so I currently actually sit on the foundation board of directors for Park Nicollet. And this April will be my 14th year there.

CATHY WURZER: You know, I'm curious-- there's always something that happens that sparks an idea-- when you were working in the health care field, did you look around and think, oh, you know what? We really do need to have something that's medical grade here.

HILAL IBRAHIM: Yeah. There were several occasions where I saw patients being offered white hospital blankets to just put on their head, because either their hijab was soiled or there was no other option. There was no alternative. And that was the need I noticed on the patient side.

On the employee side, I actually had an evening I was working in the ER where a patient's blood ended up getting on my scrubs and my hijab. And while we have always a pair of scrubs that were available in the hospital, I went home on an ER shift to throw away that hijab and grab a new one, because there was not one at the time.

And so with what we've been able to pioneer in the health care space with this medical grade hijab is Muslim women don't have to experience that anymore. And even for infection control reasons, it's something that we've been able to really integrate into health care systems and we've actually helped standardize.

CATHY WURZER: Wow. You are really a big player when it comes to getting jobs into the fashion industry-- the medical industry, the fashion industry. Oh, my goodness. Do you just look back and think, how did I get here?

HILAL IBRAHIM: I am honored every single day to do this work and inspired by the people that I meet. And it's just a blessing to be here and to do this work. It's something that keeps me excited every single day. And I love every moment of it.

CATHY WURZER: What's changed in terms of hijab visibility since you first started to do your work?

HILAL IBRAHIM: I think education. So when we launched our hijabs into Nordstrom and it really hit mainstream fashion and retail, to share the style and the designs of our hijabs, but also to celebrate, to have that visibility show up in photoshoots and mannequins, to have that representation-- and that education piece has really helped really remove preconceived notions of what the hijab might actually stand for or what it means. And we've been able to celebrate more than we have anything else. And that's what's been most inspiring.

CATHY WURZER: You know what would be really interesting? Someday to see one of your hijabs come down the runway, say, at Paris-- something like that. You ever thought about that?

HILAL IBRAHIM: Cathy, we're in the works. So stay tuned.

CATHY WURZER: Oh.

[CATHY LAUGHS]

Well, when that happens, let me be the first to talk with you about that.

HILAL IBRAHIM: We will definitely keep note of that, and that will be really exciting.

CATHY WURZER: All right. I know you're expanding your business over the past few years. Did you spend last Eid al-Fitr, I hope I pronounced that correctly, at the White House?

HILAL IBRAHIM: I did. I did I received an invitation to attend Eid at the White House. And it was a really unique experience that I had. And yeah.

CATHY WURZER: Good for you. Well, we know we'll be waiting for the runway. So in the meantime, you're doing a great job. I've enjoyed the conversation, Hilal. Thank you so much, and best of luck.

HILAL IBRAHIM: Thank you for having me, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: We've been talking to Hilal Ibrahim, the Founder and CEO of the company Henna and Hijabs.