Modest Fashion: An Idea Whose Time Has Come

Hi fashion friend,

Up to this point in my life, when I walk into stores, or shop online for hours, I seem to leave empty handed each time.

It's not that I can't find anything beautiful. It's that nothing beautiful meets the levels of coverage I want.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I strive to follow certain standards of modesty and coverage that are very core beliefs to who I am. The problem is that the fashion industry, as a whole, seems to be completely aloof to this "modest" demographic I'm a part of. So I've been left with few options that are mostly bland and frankly, ugly. It's like I have to choose between following my faith or feeling beautiful in what I wear.

I have never felt this frustration more than when I got engaged and started wedding dress shopping. I was so excited to find a beautiful dress that made me feel amazing, only to be told that it would have to be remade from scratch in order to fit my standards, incurring thousands of dollars in additional costs.

Shortly after that experience, I met several other women from different backgrounds, including those of the Catholic, Jewish, and Muslim faiths, who had very similar frustrations. I also met women who weren't even necesarily religious, but were still frustrated by the lack of classic, elegant looks that met their personal preferences for coverage.

One day, I woke up and decided to finally do something about it.

My journey began with learning how to sew with my grandmother Varo Hutchinson, a small-town neighborhood seamstress. I then enrolled at Salt Lake Community College, the only school in my area at the time that offered a fashion program, and begin learning all I could about this mesmerizing form of art.

Shortly therafter, with the support of my husband, we made a bold move. We moved across the country, to a place where we did not know a single person, so I could attend the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), a charming art university in Coastal Georgia that bodes one of the top fashion design programs in the world.

SCAD was a dream, full of days never to be forgotten. In May 2026, I graduated with a bachelor's of art in Fashion Design, and a minor in bridal and eveningwear—feeling much more equipped to solve the problem that has been so personal to me for so long.

All of this led me to now officially launch my fashion brand—Samantha Covey—in the historic city of Philadelphia. I've begun by focusing solely on custom bridal and eveningwear gowns, but have big dreams to expand in the future.

Our ultimate vision is that one day, a woman like you or I, seeking something modest and beautiful, will not end up empty handed. It is important to note that we are not alone in this. Many other brands and designers have joined the "modest fashion" movement.

I love the words of Victor Hugo, who wrote: "there is nothing more powerful than an idea whose time has come."

Modest fashion is truly one whose time has come.