Headscarf with a beret: Muslim designers showcase floral dresses and boxy streetwear in Paris

Paris has held its first ever Modest Fashion Week - hosting nearly 30 designers whose collections include loose, long-cut garments and headscarves.

It's the kind of clothing many Muslim women choose to wear in line with their religious principles - covering their arms, legs and sometimes hair.

There was a particular significance to setting it in France, where hijabs and other religious clothing have frequently made headlines and are restricted in certain settings.

Rukaiya Kamba, the creative director of Nigerian brand Flaunt Archive, said the decision to present her collection in Paris came from a "very intentional place".

And as models took to the runway, some young attendees told the BBC they felt the event demonstrated a more inclusive French culture taking shape.

France is home to around 5-7.5 million Muslims according to estimates, and Özlem Şahin, head of the organisation behind Modest Fashion Week, has described Paris as "one of the leading modest fashion capitals in Europe".

Inside Hôtel Le Marois, a mansion just off the Champs-Élsyées, the focus was on florals and nature-inspired hues.

Hicran Önal, the founder and designer behind Turkey-based brand Miha, wore a printed floral tulle dress and told me romance was key to her collection.

Her outfits blend water-like teals and blue, contrasting with natural floral pinks. Indonesian designer Nada Puspita followed suit, but with cleaner lines.

Aisa Hassan, the designer behind Australian brand Asiyam, said she too had been inspired by nature but her references were decidedly warmer - with deeper greens and almost autumnal reds. A bucket hat nodded to her Aussie heritage.

The softness in Hassan's outfits contrasted with the sporty aesthetic that remains so prevalent in the industry.

French brands Soutoura and Nour Turbans' nylon, black, jewel-toned and boxy garments are heavily influenced by Gen Z streetwear - the kind of modest fashion that's also been championed by sportswear giants Nike and Adidas.

Like Asiyam, Nour Turbans also used headwear to make an impression - styling her model with a beret over a headscarf.

The market for modest fashion has grown rapidly in the past decade - with global consumer spending expected to exceed $400bn by next year, according to research firm DinarStandard.

While the industry initially catered to Muslim women specifically, it is increasingly appealing to other religious communities and secular shoppers too.

Soutoura's founder and creative director Fatou Doucouré told me having the event in Paris filled her with pride. She said she had struggled with her hijab in France but today felt it was not holding her back.

The headscarf and other religious symbols were banned in state-run schools more than 20 years ago in France, and more recently, loose full-length robes known as