Welcome to the SHUKR Blog
As-salaamu alaykum!
We’d like to welcome you to the official blog for SHUKR Islamic Clothing.
Interest in finding new ways to synthesize the Islamic dress code with Western culture, including current fashion trends and styles, is on the rise. Over the past two years, a number of stories on Islamic fashion have hit the pages of mainstream magazines and newspapers. A revolution of sorts is taking place among modestly dressing women, especially Muslim women.
SHUKR Islamic Clothing was the first Islamic clothing company to look at the culture and context of Muslims in the West when it came to designing and producing Islamic clothing. From the beginning, we’ve tried to help Western Muslims find ways to bring together their requirements for modest dressing with their very natural desire to not look foreign or old fashioned in the Western cultures in which they were born and raised or now find themselves living. It is our life experiences as Muslims, born and raised in the West, with multi-ethnic families, that gives us the insight we need to choose current trends and make them appropriate for Muslims to wear comfortably.
The evolution of web 2.0 has changed the way that we not only communicate with one another as friends and family, but the way we communicate with one another as businesses and customers. We have entered the Age of Conversation. Customers expect to be able to communicate easily with businesses and retailers, and have their needs met. Customers share their thoughts and experiences with thousands across the globe on forums, blogs, and e-mail groups with one click of a button.
As a retailer, SHUKR has long taken the position that great customer service is essential to our mission — serving God by providing Muslims with clothing with which they can move through society. Being put on hold while muzak is playing is no longer acceptable to customers. As part of our mission to continue to provide top notch customer service, SHUKR launched our new Customer Support site earlier this year. The site includes our Knowledge Base, where you can get answers to your questions right away, allowing you to purchase with ease. We also looked at customer service models of the largest e-tailers, and implemented a ticketing system to deal with customer queries and issues. Tickets allow both our customer care specialists and the customer to track each communication and refer to a record of every question asked and every answer received.
This blog is another facet of our customer service. It allows us to tell you more of the SHUKR story than our website allows, but it also allows you, our customers, to communicate with us. We hope to provide you with insights into how our company works, from the design process to the shipping process, as well as our own thoughts on the rapidly developing field of Islamic fashion. We plan to look at how you can bring SHUKR style into your everyday life, from the office to the classroom to the park to the mosque. We also plan to share new developments and ongoing projects that we’ll be working on.
We look forward to speaking with you.
Rahat
October 22nd, 2008 at 3:59 amAsalaamu Alaikum….
Shukr for Shukr….
I think its excellent, what shukr do, comfortable, stylish yet modest clothing…tailored at its best…its just great!
However a couple of things I find hard to find when shopping, are elegant knitwear…like long line cardigans etc….it would be great if we could see more of this in the clothing line….also smart jilbabs that one could wear for work…or as an overcoat.
It is possible to buy them elsewhere but the quality and fit at shukr is something hard to find elsewehere.
JazakAllah Khairan…keep up the good work.
Wasalaam
Umm Hamzah
December 17th, 2008 at 6:35 amAs-salaamu-alaikum
I must agree with sister Rahat. For the professional muslimat, Shukr needs to offer a line of business-like, executive clothing that match the fabrics and style expectations of working in industry while meeting the Islamic guidelines of dress.
Was-salaam
reyese
December 17th, 2008 at 7:08 amI have to agree with the previous comment and add that your line will also benefit from having your designs in petite size. (pleeeeease)
JazakAllah Khairan
carey c http://Chicagoarea
December 17th, 2008 at 8:01 amasalaamu alikum,
I appreciate most of shukr’s items, and i have quite a few items in my closet, but it is waaay too expensive for this economy. I know that the Gap has a sister company Old Navy, which is known for its bargain basement prices (and yes, sadly, lesser quality). this is what shukr needs, a sister company that has clothing that is priced at 30$. 50 dollars is not a sale price right now. It is a big enough company that it can turn out slightly different styles at a more affordable price, and still treat its workers well, etc.
In addition, there is not a lot of variance in fabric choices, and any prints that turn up are not that great.
S Ahmed
December 17th, 2008 at 12:22 pmSalaam alaykum wa rahmatUllah,
JazakumAllahu khayran for all of your wonderful work.
Us Muslims in Canada have been waiting for you to cator to us too, in the way of discounts and deals (e.g. “Free shipping today on all CAN orders of $150!). InshaAllah you could really increase your clientele here! It’s very, very difficult to find appropriate and well-tailored clothing in Canada!
Fi amanillah,
S Ahmed
Peace
December 17th, 2008 at 12:53 pmAssalaam Alaikum Wa Rehmatullahi Wa Barakatuh !
I am a big fan of Shukr and am all praise for ya’ll taking so much effort to design elegant and comfortable clothes for us Muslim girls/women. I do wish that you would replenish your early popular styles in denim and corduroy skirts which have gone out of stock since a long time. Also, we find that usually only the small sizes are available for sale items. Please order more of large sizes so that those sizes are available too when needed.
Hope you will get more designs soon!
We luv Shukr!
Beth
December 21st, 2008 at 6:21 amAs-salaamu alaykum from SHUKR!
We appreciate all customer comments, whether positive or negative, as these allow us to grow and improve as a company that has been established to serve the Muslim community.
With reference to a wider range of different sizes, this is something that we are certainly considering. We appreciate how difficult it can be for those who are tall, or even quite small, to find clothing that fits comfortably. We are hoping to be able to create a garments collection that incorporates different measurements in one size range; so for example, a customer who wears size Large clothing would be able to choose from Large-Petite, Large-Regular and Large-Tall.
Was-salaam,
Beth, Blog Editor
Rafael http://www.motamid.wordpress.com
December 24th, 2008 at 6:27 amAs salam ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Coming from a Hispanic background and studying in Miami, it would be rather refreshing for Shukr to have a summer collection based on Andalusian/Latin American styles and embroderies (for instance: http://www.allthingsgreen.net/marketplace/hand-embroidered-south-american-tunic-100-cotton-fair-trade-natural-p-6356.html).
Guayaberas are quite popular among Moslems in South Florida (a style of shit brought by the Cubans that is wore untucked without a jacket as informal and informal attire). A linen version of the now-extinct Murad jacket would also be a smart choice for the warmer season (which in Miami is half the year). Also I think many of us are appreciating the slimer cuts of many items. Jazakum Allah khayrn.
Wasalam.
Melaminah
December 30th, 2008 at 7:41 amSalaam Alaykum,
Mashallah I am so happy to see Shukr continue to grow! Although I must wait for the sales like many, the outstanding quality, craftmanship and design make the pieces worth every penny.
As a Canadian I am hit with an additional $20-40 CAD DUTY fees- so I support the previous comment that it would be nice if Canadians could get a break on shipping once in a while.
Aside from having to iron everything a great deal it gives me great satisfaction that I can maintain my modesty in a nice way- I do also support the idea of a business line- I can wear my Shukr clothes on casual Fridays at work or during my personal time. My non Muslim co workers are delighted by your designs as well.
Jazak Allah Khair to everyone who helps make Shukr as success!
Suzan http://Australia
December 30th, 2008 at 8:49 pmAssalamo alikom..
Ordering from SHUKR was my first ever online shopping, I couldn’t resist the beauty of the prouducts so I ordered three garments as a start, I was really amazed how quick the delivery was and how neat the garments been folded and looked after. And now everytime I wear my SHUKR clothes all my muslim friend asks me from where I got these comfy and very nice clothes, and it feels very good to look good everytime I go on the road..So from the bottom of my heart I say thank you and keep up the great work you are doing guys..I hope we have your stuff here in Australia.
Smile
January 2nd, 2009 at 8:46 amI love shukr and will be looking forward to seeing some wider variety in clothes sizes for those of us that aren’t skinny and tall! Inshallah there will also be some work styled clothes as other people have mentioned and maybe some more practical materials for some of us busy muslimah mums who don’t want to iron all day!
Keep up the good work!
Rafael http://www.motamid.wordpress.com
January 11th, 2009 at 12:42 pmAs salam ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
It was nice to Shukr at the suhba this time. Anyway, I had forgotten to mention that my main (if not sole) grievance with Shukr is that the cloth Mandarin buttons tend to unravel infuriately easily, and I have yet to ravel one of them satisfactorily. Perhaps you could experiment with using a high bondage glue to keep the buttons in place?
Also, a word of caution about the bags (which I love): the dyes tend to bleed when wet and can stain clothing even after several washes — not good in a city as rainy as Miami!
Wasalam,
Rafael
ZRT
May 7th, 2010 at 12:54 amSalam alaykum,
I love shukr clothes. I just wish I could order more. I don’t like the system where shipping cost is calculated by the cost of the item. I think it should be at least how many items, sometimes the shipping has a set back on me, because the clothing is expensive and then the shipping. I wish that you could have a cheaper shipping option available, or just use normal Royal Mail post (maybe as an option).
Sometimes I see the model wearing nice trousers that I don’t see available!
Like nice white loose n baggy trousers and other ones.
I really liked the flattering fit denim jeans, and wish that you could bring them in a very dark denim or black denim even.
I’d really like some of your older items to be restocked, like the trouser skirt, the drawstring trousers, the wide rayon trousers and the jersey pleated dress top.
I’d really think it’d be a good idea to add more trousers because in the normal high street shops the trousers would have a tight fit and not modest, but if you could make some nice wide leg and loose trousers – I think that would be great – because I find them better than skirts for moving around, especially taking the underground and going up stairs – they’re practical for winter and summer.
Would you ever consider selling shoes? Like nice types of ballerina type flat shoes?
I really like the new Rayon shirts too, but I wish they were doubled in layer to make them less see-through, as we have to wear something underneath, and I don’t want to wear a hot long-sleeved modal top in the summer – it makes it too hot!
I’d like to see more designs that use A-line and empire fit styles for women with a pear-shaped outline.
I hope that in the future shukr could allow and accept bank transfers, because after my card has finished – I won’t be able to order anymore
and that’s soon.
I hope that shukr could be more flexible in these matters inshaAllah. I know you all work hard, and it’s good what you’re doing, but to be better..
That’s all for now
wa salam
Beth
May 10th, 2010 at 12:44 amSalaam ZRT,
Thank you for your extensive comments! I’ll pass them on to management today.