Nesreen Mughrabi: From pharmacy to fashion — it’s in the details

Dr. Nesreen Mughrabi is a person of many pursuits— pharmacy, fitness and fashion, to name a few. Since earning her PharmD from the University of Minnesota in 2013, she’s been both a personal trainer and the founder of an athletic modestwear company called Yalla. 

Mughrabi loved her first ever job as a pharmacy clerk and decided to pursue a PharmD, which brought her to Minnesota from her home state of Oklahoma. Following graduation from the program, she worked in retail pharmacy for several years. After she gave birth to twin babies— who joined her three other children— she decided to take a step back from work in order to care for her family full-time. The sudden change was challenging and the COVID-19 pandemic soon exacerbated that. Schools were routinely waffling on virtual versus in-person learning for kids, which made it tough to predict when she could return to work. When the head personal trainer at her gym approached her about joining their team, she thought it could be a flexible solution, so she earned her personal training certification. 

“[Personal training] wasn’t something I had ever thought about while being a pharmacist. I thought, ‘When my kids get a little older, I'm just going to go back to the pharmacy,’” Mughrabi said. “But at that point, with the pandemic happening, you just couldn't really rely on the kids being able to go to school… I couldn't commit to going back to the pharmacy.” 

Through her own experiences with exercising at the gym and now as a personal trainer, Mughrabi took notice of the lack of athletic clothing options for her needs, hijabs in particular. She was constantly using pins and magnets to secure her hijab during workouts, which was time consuming, frustrating, and not at all foolproof.  

“I'm a mom of five, I'm busy and need to be out the door by a certain time. It just became a hassle and I thought surely I'm not the only one who feels like there are no options that are modest, yet feel put-together,” she said. “That's where the idea of starting my own brand came from.”

She enrolled in a program that taught her how apparel is made and began to sample different fabrics, taking her time to select one that would fit her standards of softness, breathability, and sustainability. She also felt strongly about finding a local manufacturer familiar with modestwear like hijabs and that understands how it's meant to fit. In November 2025, she launched her brand Yalla, which offers clothing such as tunics and hijabs designed to stay put during exercise but also suitable for progression through the day. 

“[The clothing] transitions from one setting to another— from work to the gym to running errands, you don't feel like you're dressed out of place because it's functional and transitional, yet you feel like you’re wearing something that feels put-together,” Mughrabi said. “I really felt like there's a true need out there and if I can help someone find options to make their life easier, then I think it’s successful.”

Admittedly, transitioning from pharmacy to business ownership leaves Mughrabi a lot to learn, but she enjoys learning something new each day. As a pharmacist, she never had to concern herself with tasks like generating social media content. However, one facet of her pharmacy training that transfers over is attention to detail. 

“As pharmacists, there's zero tolerance for mistakes— not to say that it's the same with the clothing industry, but I'm very detail-oriented and I think that will help my products stand out,” Mughrabi said. “I’ve always had a creative side to me and have always loved fashion.”

Current options for athletic modestwear have been unflattering and too “scuba suit-looking” in Mughrabi’s experience. She believes many girls and women who wear hijabs daily feel similarly and are forced to choose between functionality and style.  

“Do they wear it and deal with the hijab always slipping and getting in the way? People with sensory issues also have to deal with feeling overheated or fabric tugging,” she said. “I've heard a lot from people that they want a product that eliminates a lot of those frustrations.”

Mughrabi is also looking into collegiate licensing that would allow her to create University-branded hijabs and other modestwear. As a student, she always wished there were more options for her to don spiritwear. 

Her passion for pharmacy never left, though— she keeps her license active and stays up to date on her continuing education credits. Once she strengthens the foundation of Yalla and her children are older, she pictures herself running her business and returning to pharmacy. 

“Going back to the pharmacy is never off the table,” she said. “[Everything] led me to what I'm doing today and you never know where life will take you. My love for pharmacy is still there, it’s still got a special place in my heart and I’d never rule out going back.”