The Beauty in Modesty
“I Am African & I Can” is a women’s empowerment blog highlighting stories of Black women’s struggles and successes.
By Hadiatou Wann | 08/07/20
Born in the Bronx, Cire Kaba grew up with 14 siblings (on her father’s side), a household where growing up they were taught that there is no such thing as half-brothers and sisters; they are all one.
She earned her Bachelors in Biology from SUNY Oswego, and was accepted into Pre-med. While working at White Plains Hospital, the doctor she worked for revealed to her that he owned a business on the side. It gave her a glimpse of what life could look like for her if she, too, were to be a business owner.
She began brainstorming for business ideas. At the time, because she was going to several weddings, she ran out of outfits to wear and decided to style herself, design for others and sell fabrics. It was also around the same time that her desire to get closer to God grew.
Last Ramadan, she found herself fully immersed in wearing the hijab. When the holy month ended, she didn’t want to take it off. When Cire expressed to her cousin (a Hijabi) about the feelings she was having towards the hijab, her cousin was supportive and told her to embrace those feelings as it was a good sign from God.
When she began working as a consultant for a pharmaceutical company, where 95% of the staff was Caucasian and non-Muslim, it coincided with the month of Ramadan. Normally, outside of Ramadan Cire did not wear the hijab. When she walked in the pharmacy, her colleagues were surprised to see her with a hijab on. Her manager, who was Asian, decided to fast with her to get a feel of what Muslims go through during the holy month. When he got to feel how much Muslims have to endure while fasting, he allowed Cire to leave work early in order to break her fast at home. This was another good sign for her.
Another time, while on her way to her friend’s house, for the first time another Muslim greeted her outside because she could recognize that she’s Muslim because of her hijab. This made Cire burst into tears. At that moment, she decided that she was going to fully commit to wearing the hijab.
“We are grown. We have the choice to go learn about Islam and increase our Imaan [Faith],” Cire expressed. The more she learned about Islam, the more she fell in love with it. “I never thought that I would be passionate about Islam. Always ask yourself ‘What are you going to do to prepare for the Hereafter?’”
With the hopes of leading by example, she stopped selling outfits that were not modest and transitioned into a modest brand. Très Belle Prints, LLC. (a French name which translates to Very Beautiful Prints) hit the market in 2019 with the mission of showing women that modesty is beautiful. A lover of colors and fashion, Cire –through her brand-- found a way to be modest and still keep her sense of style.
Cire says that in a world where a woman is programmed to believe that she is not sexy if she does not show her body, it is important to show women that they can be beautiful even while covered. When she launched her modest clothing line, the majority of her followers who did not wear the hijab applauded her courage and expressed that they, too, thought of transitioning into that lifestyle.
“I feel like my hijab is my hair. I get to be versatile,” the Guinean-American entrepreneur said.
Sometimes, wearing the hijab comes with facing criticism. On one occasion, another Muslim woman criticized the way Cire wore the hijab. Instead of lashing out at the woman, Cire reached out to her in private. She politely expressed to the lady that if she wasn’t wearing the hijab correctly, she would appreciate it if the lady educated her about it instead so she could improve. “We’re supposed to be motivating people to get closer to God,” she says. Cire added that if she wasn’t mentally strong, the woman’s comment would have pushed her to stop wearing the hijab.
Binty Diaoune, Cire’s “lifelong sister” says, “My best friend, Cire is a rare type of person who combines exceptional natural ability with a willingness and eagerness to learn and succeed. She strives to make herself better, for herself, her family, and her community where she is considered a role-model for the current and future generations to come.”
“She works towards this goal by always retracing her footsteps and constantly learning every chance she gets to impact others. Cire is the epitome of unlimited potential and is the perfect crossover between optimism and positivity. Cire embodies what it means to be a beautiful woman who strives to better herself with her strong sense of determination and ambition,”Binty added.
As an entrepreneur, she learned that sales can fluctuate. “As an entrepreneur, I know that every month is not going to be my best month. I just have to keep pushing through,” Cire said. Years back, she lost a family member in Guinea to poor healthcare and has a dream of one day building a clinic there. But she realized that in order to build and run a successful clinic in Guinea, she needs to be present. For her, the way to make that dream a reality is by building a successful business that gives her the resources and flexibility.
By embracing her Muslim identity, Cire continues to attract customers that are inspired by her courage and style. Although she wants to be modest and fashionable, the young entrepreneur keeps in mind that as a trendsetter, she doesn’t misguide people. Très Belle Prints, LLC. aims to encourage Muslim women and women of other faiths to embrace modesty, with or without a hijab on.
Welcome to Cire’s World
“I want to be genuinely happy, not Instagram happy.”
“You can look nice while being modest. You can be beautiful and be aligned with your religion.”
“If you want to start your own business, do research and be patient. Don’t compare yourself to other business owners.”
“My 9-5 is funding my business, and my business is funding my dream.”
“What are you going to do to prepare for the Hereafter?”
“A strong woman is someone who stands on her beliefs. She knows who she is and why she’s on that path, and continues to push through the ups and downs.”
Connect with Cire:
Personal Instagram: @styleso_versatile
Buisness IG: @tresbelleprints
Shop Cire’s modest line: www.tresbelleprints.com
Read other success stories here: www.iamafricanandican.info/blog
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