For More Modest Workout Clothes, Women Look to Sportswear Startup ‘Veil’

Not everybody wants to show off their body in skimpy, skintight workout clothes. Enter Veil, a new sportswear brand making more “modest” offerings — but keeping the gear just as technical and sweat-friendly as your traditional Nike and Lululemon apparel.

Veil, currently on Kickstarter, markets itself as “modest, functional, and fashionable sportswear so you can stay both active and covered, without losing your sense of style.” The apparel brand has just three designs for now: a long-sleeve half-zip sweater that hits mid-thigh, a loose-fitting running hoodie with a “stay-in-place” hood that also functions as a hijab, and a hijab scarf made in technical fabric.

“Conceal your assets, uncover your potential,” the Kickstarter reads.

It can be hard for women who seek less-revealing workout gear to find options tailored to their needs, whether it be a religious or sartorial preference, founder Ahmad Ghanem told Fashionista. “We had literally dozens of [women] tell us they shop in the men’s section for looser fits. It should never be that difficult and that’s really what inspired us to create something amazing for women,” he continued.

The market is saturated with tiny sports bras and clinging tank tops that are very much in vogue — and functional for high-intensity sports — but might not be ideal if you’re trying to maintain a modicum of modesty. As it is, modesty might be making its mark in the fashion world; just look to public figures like singer Yuna, who’s the face of a hijab collection by major retailer Uniqlo and says it can be “liberating” to dress in more concealed styles.

The Veil Kickstarter campaign has raised over 50% of its goal since it launched at the end of May.