Episode 29: Melanie Elturk
“Success is when I feel like God is pleased with me. It’s a feeling. I know when I’m doing what’s right for the right reasons.”
"Be honest with yourself."
Melanie Elturk, CEO of Haute Hijab, on building the fastest growing modest fashion brand.
Melanie Elturk made the hijab (Muslim head scarf) mainstream through her modest fashion brand, Haute Hijab. She launched the company in 2010 and since then, it’s the fastest growing modest fashion line with close to 200K followers on Instagram and Snapchat. Haute Hijab has been featured in Elle, New York Times and the Today show.
Melanie made the hijab accessible, beautiful and feminine. She gave the hijab an American makeover by offering beautiful prints that instilled more confidence and pride for the young women wearing them. Melanie has built a community of women with the mission of empowering one another through stories, style and commitment to faith. She lives her life with the same values- by sharing her stories as a successful entrepreneur, by demonstrating impeccable style, and by constantly renewing her commitment to her Muslim identity.
Podcast Details
Find out from the podcast how Melanie:
- Navigated her many identities- Muslim, Catholic, American, Filipina, and Lebanese
- Discovered her Muslim identity, including the moment when she first wore the hijab (head scarf)
- Fought for her beliefs and how she overcame a personal conflict
- Launched Haute Hijab in 2010, made the hijab mainstream, and inspired retailer’s like The Gap to connect with her brand
- Had to make the hard decision to leave her legal career to pursue her business full time
- Gives advice on finding passion through self exploration and manifesting multiple passions into one thing
- Handled the dark moments in her business
- Equates success to God’s pleasure and to having a healthy heart
“'Know yourself, know what you're good at and execute your gifts." -Melanie Elturk
About Melanie
Melanie Elturk is a lawyer turned CEO whose mission is to instill confidence in the Muslim women through her modest fashion brand, Haute Hijab. Trained as a lawyer and an entrepreneur at heart, she founded Haute Hijab in 2010 with her husband, Ahmed Zedan.
Follow Melanie on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.