Eksklusivitas Hijab Premium Buttonscarves dan Distingsi di Kalangan Muslimah Suburban

Abstract

This study examines how Buttonscarves premium hijab builds a narrative of exclusivity as well as a tool that creates social difference among suburban Muslim women. Using Pierre Bourdieu's distinction theory as an analytical framework, this study found that Buttonscarves builds a narrative of exclusivity through various planned strategies. These strategies include naming iconic cities or places from various parts of the world for its product collections, using diction associated with luxury in product descriptions, collaborating with international influencers such as Halima Aden, applying premium prices to create an image of “expensive,” and limiting accessibility to certain products to emphasize the exclusive impression. The results show that the consumption of Buttonscarves among suburban Muslim women is not solely driven by fashion needs, but also to express social status and distinctive tastes, especially in terms of design. In relatively economically homogeneous communities, the hijab is used as a means to strengthen group identity and solidarity, for example through joint buying activities in the work environment. In contrast, in more socially and economically heterogeneous communities, the consumption of Buttonscarves sometimes provokes criticism as they are perceived to reflect stark social class differences. Thus, Buttonscarves not only function as a symbol of prestige, but also a marker of upper-middle-class identity as well as a means for individuals to assert their social position in suburban society. This finding implies that the practice of premium hijab consumption among Muslim women also reproduces social stratification in the context of everyday life.