el and authenticity of the engagement with the Muslim community – with YouGov research showing that 43 per cent of those surveyed were likely to spend more on food and drinks throughout the month of Ramadan. Over three quarters of consumers surveyed were likely to buy at least one fashion garment during Ramadan, while 24 per cent and 20 per cent of consumers were expected to spend more on medicine and vitamins, and personal care and cosmetics, respectively. Lebanese-Australian charcoal franchise El Jannah is one of many that has identified an increase in customers over the period. A spokesperson for the organisation said that it has noticed an increase in sales, traffic, and size of orders during Ramadan. They added that the flow of customers has been huge, with its charcoal chicken being the most popular item sold. Isabel Zhang, general manager of cross cultural insights at Bastion Insights told Inside Retail that there was a great opportunity for retailers to engage with the over 800,000 people who identify as Muslim in Australia, as per recent census data. Referring to extensive consultation with members of the Muslim community, she said they were regularly confronted with misconceptions about their faith, and added that their relationships with retailers are mostly transactional, and strategic in nature. In order to better connect with this community, Zhang believes that a first step for retailers could be to understand what Ramadan is about, and the significance behind the religious festival. She also said that the Muslim community is extremely diverse – with adherents from around the world – so a deeper understanding of the cultural nuances is necessary for deeper engagement to occur. “Everyone is starting to realise how important it is to engage with culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities, but I don’t think many [organisations] are doing it that well. Everyone is at the starting line,” she said. “Before we start to talk about making money, [we] need to think about how we want to engage with the CALD communities in meaningful ways. If retailers keep doing it in an ad hoc way – via price or tactical promotional strategies –[it won’t] help to build long term and ongoing relationships.” Zhang observed that there’s strong potential for retailers to strengthen brand loyalty, provided they are able to build relationships that are founded on inclusiveness and respect.  “[Members of the Muslim community] come from different parts of the world, so there’s a lot of nuance [and diversity] in terms of how they practice their religion,” she said. “But, if retailers are showing genuine care and respect [they] will be very welcoming of engagement.” Reflecting community needs A retailer that has introduced a line of products specifically catered for the religious festival is fashion label Camilla, which has introduced a selection of Ramadan outfits. Described as a modern twist on traditional clothing, the “modest edit” includes “high necklines, long sleeves and floor-sweeping lengths.” According to fashion designer and eponymous founder Camilla Franks, it has created and altered bespoke versions of its prints and silhouettes to “reflect the community’s aesthetic needs.” Franks said that this is the third year of the Ramadan edit, which has a focus on modest “hero pieces.” The brand worked with stylists such as Sydney designer Yasmin Jamaleddine on the collection, to ensure that it was getting the styling right. “We want to always bring the flair, the sense of luxury and the fun to our modest customers,” Franks said. “Yasmin is so creative, she has such a talent for showcasing all of the beautifully unique ways you can put together a modest outfit or wear a headscarf, and there’s many other modest women out there celebrating and showcasing their own modest Camilla style.” Franks added that she wanted her brand’s designs to resonate with the full spectrum of people – across range, age, shape, ethnicity and identity – to ensure that they feel good about themselves. “It’s the same with our modest creations, we will always work in conjunction with the community and the audience to ensure we understand what they need, and we’re creating what they want,” Franks said. While Camilla does not have specific, external partnerships in the works, Franks explained that the brand has an incredibly strong customer base in the Middle East, which it continues to nurture and grow. Learning, evolving and adjusting Franks observed that the brand is on a continuous journey to make sure everyone feels welcome, and can walk into the store and find the right item for them. She added that Camilla’s customers regularly provide feedback and ideas, which are used as a sounding board and a platform for two way communication. “As a brand, we are constantly learning, evolving and adjusting. Our customers love that – and we love that. If you’re not always growing and changing, you’re standing still,” she said. “We’re always looking for new, innovative ways that we can morph to suit our amazing global customer base.” Meanwhile, Zhang urged retailers not to be afraid of doing the wrong thing when seeking to engage with members of the Muslim community “What’s terrible is not doing anything,” she said.