ADVERTISEMENTHalima Aden has been described as the world’s first hijab-wearing super model. She was the first woman to enter the Miss Minnesota USA pageant in a burkini and hijab and has since walked the catwalk for Italian fashion giants Max Mara and Alberta Ferretti.
She has also modelled at Kanye West’s Yeezy show in New York
The Somali-American teen says her hijab is just part of her personality.
“For me it was a choice. I was the one asking my mom to give me the hijab and I wanted to resemble her and I wanted to fall in love with my religion,” she said.
Halima was born in a refugee camp in Kenya. At the age of six she moved to the United States, settling in Minnesota.
She has now been featured on the front cover of the July edition of the American beauty magazine, Allure.
Its Editor-in-chief Michelle Lee feels she represents young Americans.
“She truly is just like a normal teenage girl, a normal American teenage girl,” Michelle said.
“I think that for us, our mission being we want to redefine what beauty standards are, she is someone who is so amazingly representative of who we are as America, as a melting pot it totally made sense for us.”
Halima Aden has now become the leading model for brands producing trendy hijabs.
The fashion world recognises their market potential. Including Nike who will be the first major sportswear company to offer an Islamic head scarf designed for competition.
From refugee camp to runway, Hijab-wearing model breaks barriers https://t.co/rtPyJ7oeXO via
Reuters</a></p>— Halima Aden (Kinglimaa) September 12, 2017
