Our History
Iman Montayre is an eponymous brand of bridal gowns favoured by brides who appreciate modesty, versatility, comfort and sustainability. The brand offers a line of ready-to-wear and customized bridal gowns with ultra feminine elegance.
The brand began as Bridals by Iman in 2013, initially serving clients exclusively in Cebu. Two years later, it successfully expanded its clientele to international markets, including the USA and Canada, and subsequently established strong partnerships with bridal houses in both America and Europe. In 2018, the brand adopted the founder’s name to avoid confusion with the bridal houses it supplied. Despite its Islamic orientation, the brand’s sophisticated versatility is also appreciated by non-Muslim clients. By 2020, the brand shifted its focus towards more modest yet convertible designs, allowing brides to enjoy multiple looks within a single ensemble.
The name “Iman” translates to “faith” in Arabic, which is integral to the design philosophy of the brand. This philosophy strives to cater to the diverse needs of women from various walks of life, backgrounds, and cultures. The designs emphasize clean and simple silhouettes, incorporating minimalistic and well-balanced elements that transcends shapes and form, character and taste.
About the Designer
Joean “Iman” Montayre is a Filipino designer who has been designing clothing since 2000. Her adopted name “Iman” is due to her acquiescence to the faith of Islam in 2007. She is a self-taught artist who started her career in Fashion Design as an Illustrator for a New York-based haute couture brand (JPNY) in 2000 after graduating from high school. After two months on the job, she received training from the owner to become a full- fledge designer after she displayed potential. She juggled from full-time employee during the day to a college student at night. After graduating in Computer Programming, Iman studied Journalism and was appointed to become the company’s self-produced magazine in Dance Sport Haute Couture as its Editor-In-Chief. She left the job after 5 years and explored other designing fields which include designing for international companies that does furniture, home décor, jewelry, luxury bags, and footwear, while she writes and explores Investigative Journalism as a freelancer, up until today.
In 2007, a new Muslim at that time, she partnered with a US-based garment company that exports clothing to the Middle- East, USA, and Spain. This helped her gain an understanding of modest fashion and Islam. But the global recession in 2009 affected the business which led to its closure in 2011. In 2012, she decided to explore the local market and started a garment business from scratch. Without any experience in sewing and operating a machine, she learned how to sew from watching YouTube tutorials, and improved her pattern-making and cutting techniques. With the help of friends in the wedding industry, she formally established Bridals by Iman in 2013 as she was able to gain clients, and slowly expanded her network abroad when one of her gowns attracted a Wedding Planner in Wisconsin and another one from London a few months later.
Her rapport towards modest fashion started as soon as she became a Muslim, and wanted to build a reputation in the modest bridal gown industry. The advocacy came to its fruition in 2020 when she launched the platform- Modest Fashion Designers Production- which bore http://www.modestfashiondesigners.com and Modest Fashion Manila virtual fashion shows which cemented the Philippine’s spot to become part of the modest fashion movement worldwide. She dedicates her career to helping creatives and designers build their brands which prompted the launch of the MFDP Foundation which will help underprivileged creatives around the world. The Foundation also aims to promote peace and unity among people from all backgrounds by shedding the light on understanding, giving education, and encouraging tolerance through interfaith programs, and multi-culture initiatives through art and fashion.
IMAN MONTAYRE 