As someone who goes to a women’s gym, I’m inclined to think a lot of the women who go to my gym are there because athletic wear leaves them no other choice; these women chose to be modest, but for some reason, don’t get to exercise that right while exercising. It’s not that being modest is unstylish, it’s because it’s often not feasible, you have to either sacrifice your performance or your beliefs and comfort.

My position in this situation is very privileged. I go to the gym recreationally, so it doesn’t matter that the women’s gym I go to, and most of the women’s gyms I have frequented over the course of my life, aren’t as well-equipped as men’s establishments. It also doesn’t affect my livelihood if, driven by discomfort, I quit working out altogether. It’s not nice, but it’s survivable. To professional athletes who choose to dress modestly, that is not a choice.

The founders of Kamak, Clara Jouval and Zeynab Alabbar, lifelong athletes, felt this disparity firsthand. Their exclusion from the sports they loved playing upon choosing to wear the hijab, and choosing modesty, caused them to found their global athletic wear brand, and to enable all types of women - not just hijabis - to move.Who is behind Kamak?

Clara: We’re Clara and Zeynab — two long-time friends and co-founders of Kamak.

I’m Clara, I’m 28 years old, I live in Switzerland, and I’m the co-founder of Kamak. I was a high-level athlete in rhythmic gymnastics and also trained in dance when I was younger. I grew up surrounded by mountains, so skiing, hiking, and movement in general have always been a part of my life. I studied political science, and today I’m married and a mother of two young children. I converted to Islam in my early twenties, and that personal journey eventually led me to co-create Kamak.

Zeynab: I’m Zeynab, I’m 31 years old, I live in Switzerland and I’m also a mom of two. I’m originally from Libya, and fashion has been a passion of mine since childhood — I always knew I’d be part of this world. I studied in art and design schools in Switzerland, which opened doors to working in fashion magazines, runway shows, and creative direction. My Libyan heritage has always been part of my life and my inspirations — it naturally shapes the way I create and express myself.

Clara: We’ve been friends for over 10 years, since we were students. When I was studying, Zeynab’s family lived really close to our university - I ended up spending so much time at their place that I was basically part of the family! I’d go to class with her sister, and I was sleeping over so often that we eventually ended up sharing the same single bed.How did Kamak come to be?

Kamak was born out of frustration — and a shared vision.

It all started when I began wearing the hijab. Overnight, getting dressed for sports became a real challenge. Ten years ago, modest activewear was almost non-existent. I often felt uncomfortable in what I wore — not really myself — and sometimes even hesitant to join my family for sports activities. I didn’t want them to think my hijab was a barrier to living fully. The issue wasn’t the hijab. The real problem was the lack of clothes that were both technical, comfortable, and aligned with my values. That’s when I started to imagine my own pieces. And very quickly, I thought: I can’t be the only one going through this.

Zeynab, on the other hand, had a clear vision from the start. She saw the potential of modest fashion long before it became a topic. At the time, even mentioning modest fashion sounded outdated — low-quality, even marginal. What she wanted was to build something bold, unapologetic, and completely break away from the image of modest fashion as something “niche” or “second-class.”

After a preliminary shoot where I asked Zeynab to collaborate on the very first pieces I had created, it became clear: this wasn’t just a one-off project. We shared the same values, the same visual language, the same drive. That’s when we decided to co-found Kamak — to create what we couldn’t find anywhere else, and to help other women fully embrace their freedom, style, and comfort.

Does Kamak’s name have any significance?

Kamak is a palindrome — you can read it both ways — and it reflects our vision for circularity. We want the brand to move toward a more circular, responsible production model.

It’s also a name that’s easy to pronounce in any language, which was important to us because we see Kamak as a global brand. Our objective is to become the number one modest sportswear brand worldwide — a real alternative for women who want to feel good in their bodies and in their values, without compromise.

We don’t see modest fashion as something exclusive to Muslim women or a specific cultural background. We believe it can speak to all women. Most modest brands either hyper-focus on hijabis or present modesty through a Middle Eastern lens. But at Kamak, we want to break that divide. Our campaigns bring women together — hijabi or not — without creating categories. Our aesthetic is minimal, powerful, and universal. In that sense, Kamak is about unity; about creating a visual language that transcends stereotypes and welcomes every woman who wants to feel good in her clothes, on her terms.

What purpose does Kamak serve?

We believe modest fashion can be liberating. For us, modesty isn’t about hiding — it’s about choosing. Choosing when, how, and to whom you show your body. It’s about taking back agency over how your body is seen or not seen.

Kamak is here to make sport more accessible to every woman — regardless of her style, culture or background. And that starts with having clothes that respect her values while offering full freedom of movement.

I think our philosophy can be summarised in one word: move — in every sense of the word.
Movement is what connects us, heals us, empowers us, lets us enjoy this life. At Kamak, we want to help women experience that movement fully — physically, emotionally, spiritually. One of our most powerful memories was a photoshoot we did in Paris. It wasn’t your typical shoot; it was a real basketball game we staged with models. They were playing for real — sweating, laughing, pushing their limits — and at the end, one of them told us, “It’s been so long since I’ve been laughing so much while doing sport.” That moment meant everything.
Is modest wear actually restrictive?

There’s a common belief that modest sportswear is restrictive — but we don’t agree. There are women — like the Cholitas from Latin America — who hike the highest mountains in skirts. Modesty doesn’t limit performance — mindset does.

Now, in Europe and in most sports competitions (which are largely set up based on European standards), you’re expected to wear “the right” outfit for each activity — usually minimal, tight-fitting gear. So yes, when you show up dressed differently, you might not feel legitimate. But that doesn’t mean modest clothes are less functional.

The truth is, when you dress modestly, you’ll always have a lot of fabric on you, no matter the cut. There’s no such thing as a “more performant” modest cut — it will always be loose and dense. That’s why the key is the fabric.

At Kamak, we’ve worked hard to find materials that are really lightweight, breathable and opaque at the same time. That balance is what makes our pieces functional — they move with the body while keeping you covered and comfortable.
What are Kamak’s next moves?

We aspire to be the global reference for modest active sportswear. We want to push the design even further — develop more iconic pieces, technical and bold. And we want to grow our financial power so we can take a stand in the sports world. For example, in France today, the hijab is still banned in official competitions. We want to support athletes, sponsor them, give them visibility, and fight for their right to compete without having to compromise their identity.