BYU-Hawaii student Andrea Scalese showcased a small collection of her own line-up of modest dresses using fashion models in between performances at this year’s Culture Night.
Scalese, a senior from Peru studying biomedicine, started her own clothing company in February called Modest Sam. She said her company is dedicated to providing women with stylish, comfortable, and modest clothing. Some of the dresses include pockets.
“My business is fairly new and it is always hard to get news out right away. I have been so thankful for all of my customers so far, [and] having the opportunity to share my dresses at Culture Night in front of such a huge audience is such a great opportunity for me.
“I hope that people who were at Culture Night and who are interested in finding cute, modest dresses will consider checking out my shop,” she said.
To assist her during the fashion show, more than a dozen women volunteered to model Scalese’s fashion line, each wearing different styles of dresses available for purchase on her website.
To be featured in Culture Night, Scalese said she took the initiative to ask BYUHSA if she could feature her clothing.
After getting married in 2016 and fighting the heat in Hawaii, she found a type of dress that she said was both modest, comfortable, and attractive from a friendly contact in Peru. She said she knows Mormon women in Hawaii want to look fashionable and feel comfortable while maintaining a modest look. To address those women’s needs, the dresses are lightweight, have pockets, and either cuffs or sleeves to accompany the dress on the style preferred. The dresses have floral prints and ocean-type themes.
Scalese said her dresses accent a women’s natural figure without being too tight or revealing, allowing women to look beautiful without feeling overheated in the Hawaiian sun and feel comfortable while roaming about. The dresses are “acceptable daywear or even for attending church or going out with friends,” she said.
Sam Zuro, a junior studying biomedicine from Utah, said she admires Scalese for going against the fashion norms by creating the business. “I personally love the dresses. Anyone who knows me knows that I am not a dress person, so that’s saying a lot. They’re so comfortable I could sleep in them, yet I could also go to church in them. Talk about versatility.
“My favorite part is the pockets. I think Modest Sam is really empowering for LDS girls and women, or any women really because it promotes modesty in such a beautiful way.”
When asked how she obtained the dresses and created their distinct style, Scalese replied with a laugh, “A good magician never reveals their tricks.” People ask about her contact for selling the dresses, said Scalese, but she believes it’s just good business to not reveal all the details of her entrepreneurship skills. She said she has a contract with a wholesale clothing company and works with them to choose dresses that best fit her taste.
“When initially starting this business, I decided that everything I sell will be modest and made of comfortable fabric because I know how hard it is to find dresses that fit under both of those categories,” she said.
Scalese said she focuses on highlighting real girls in real circumstances and not presenting her products as a fantasy or something staged. “The company that I have a contract to sell with offered for me to use the professional photos that they had of the products, but I opted to take my own instead.
“I wanted a more natural look when presenting my dresses because I want girls of all sizes, ethnicities, and backgrounds to feel like they can be beautiful in my dresses. When you view clothing on a model perfected by Photoshop, it often tears you down rather than building your self-confidence.”
Willing strangers have helped her along the journey of getting her business up and running, said Scalese. “I have had many women willing to model, help me with photos, and even just offer me kind words that inspire me to keep working hard. That selfless attitude is something that I want portrayed in my business.”
Modest Sam’s main demographic is BYU-Hawaii students, said Scalese, but she sells to all women who want a “fun, happy look.” Though her dresses are modest, Scalese said her main selling point is their comfort, with modesty being “the cherry on top.”
Abigail Stuart, a senior peacebuilding major from Utah, models the dresses in photos on the Modest Sam website. She said, “I think the dresses are a good business idea. The access to modest dresses on island is pretty limited, which makes these dresses a great option for cute and modest clothing.”
One of the major obstacles Scalese said she had when starting her business was finding an investor to start with initial capital. Her first investor backed out at the last minute, which she said was difficult because she had just received her first batch of dresses to sell. Her husband Reuben encouraged her to keep developing the business until she eventually received an investor.
With an official website for the business, Modest Sam runs an Instagram with photos of BYUH students in the dresses. Modest Sam also sells at every Farmer’s Market on campus and has added swimsuits to its line.
Writer: Alyssa Odom & Colton McLane