How is the holiday rush going for you so far? What holiday rush, you ask. It’s July 1, nearly six months before Santa makes his triumphant appearance. Kids are out of school, summer vacations are ongoing and barbecues are a weekend staple. While all that may be the case for you, there’s a large segment of the world population that’s in the midst of its holiday season. Muslims, which total nearly 2 billion worldwide and 9 million in North America alone, are celebrating Ramadan, the month-long holiday (this year it ends on July 17) that’s a time for fasting, prayer, giving thanks and, apparently, shopping.

Many have likened Ramadan to Christmas for Christians, and its associated consumer spending on gifts. The Muslim population in the U.S is growing, and it boasts roughly $100 million in spending power, according to a recent study by the American Muslim Consumer Consortium. Retailers, and fashion brands in particular, are slowly taking notice. They’re designing outfits for the traditionally overlooked Muslim consumer.

Giorgio Armani and Tommy Hilfiger have introduced Ramadan-themed pieces to their collections. Last year, DKNY launched a Ramadan series, and Spanish designer Mango did likewise this past May. Luxury fashion brand Moda Operandi hosted an online pre-Ramadan trunk show in February, featuring labels such as Naeem Khan, Oscar de la Renta, Monique Lhuillier and Badgley Mischka. And Net-a-Porter celebrated the arrival of Ramadan with a special section on its site for Ramadan-themed merchandise, a first for the luxury brand.

“It’s the first time we’re talking to Ramadan so directly,” said Holly Russell, the senior ready-to-wear buyer for Net-a-Porter, in this New York Times article, who noted that the feedback the brand has received on Facebook and other social networking sites has so far been positive.

While luxury brands have been quick to capitalize on Ramadan, one that hasn’t yet taken the plunge is Neiman Marcus — although that soon may be changing. During a promotional calendar meeting at the company’s headquarters in Dallas last week, “Ramadan came up as an opportunity we need to understand better,” Ginger Reeder, a spokeswoman for Neiman Marcus, told The New York Times.

Smart, Insincere or Both?
As you might expect, this trend of courting Muslim shoppers during their holiest time of year isn’t without its share of controversy. In this column for Racked, Muslim-American Fareeha Molvi questioned the motives of retailers looking to cash in during Ramadan.

“The thing about corporations is that they rarely do things out of sheer human goodwill,” wrote Molvi. “Financial gains are a far greater motivator,” yet acknowledging that Ramadan marketing could be a boon for brands that do it right. Molvi draws a parallel to Thanksgiving, which has evolved from a day spent at the dinner table with family and friends giving thanks to unofficial start of the Black Friday shopping frenzy.

“I’d love to see Ramadan gain the same name recognition as other major holidays, but I’m just not sure it’s worth the price,” Molvi concludes.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Is your brand already marketing around Ramadan? If so, what has the experience been like? And if you haven’t yet, do you plan to in the future? (Here are some tips to help you get started.) Let us know by posting a comment below. We’d love to get a conversation started!