First hijabi supermodel Halima Aden returns to modelling 

As she graces the cover of the May 2023 issue of ‘Vogue Arabia’, the Somali-American supermodel opens up about her decision to step away from the fashion industry

Hyderabad: The Somali-American supermodel and activist Halima Aden, who stepped away from modelling in 2020, has returned to the spotlight after a hiatus of almost three years. The 25-year-old made headlines following her participation in Miss Minnesota USA competition wearing a hijab.

Aden vocally quit the industry by taking to social media in 2020. As she graces the cover of the May 2023 issue of ‘Vogue Arabia’, she opens up about her decision to step away from the fashion industry.

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“During lockdown, there were no distractions, so I had to be at one with my own mind, and that was tough. I thought that I hadn’t done enough when it comes to showcasing the hijab in a proper way; I thought it went off the deep end and I could no longer relate to this identity of wearing a hijab,” she said to ‘Vogue Arabia’.

“Towards the end of my career, in my photoshoots, my hijab became more adventurous… It was very experimental, and I confess I also had a part to play in that. Nobody forced me to put jeans on my head instead of a traditional veil, to do a shoot being fully decked out with jewellery, and very sexy even though it was modest (sic),” she added.

 

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Besides the personal and religious beliefs that made her exit the industry, Aden also discusses the work conditions of models in general and calls the fashion industry a “cruel business to be a part of”.

“I think that a big part of the reason why I quit was the lack of privacy backstage. I was mortified early on in my career when I realised some shows had just clothing racks to separate the girls from the public, from male photographers, from the people bringing food… For me, as a newbie, I had my own box, literally one box just for myself… It was awkward and just didn’t feel right”.

She added, “When you come from the refugee community I hail from, the one thing I can’t stand is when the perks are not applied to everybody else. When the other models came to me to ask if they could use my small dressing box, I remember thinking, ‘Why can’t they just create a covered space for all of us?’(sic)”

 

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Aden was also part of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty campaign in 2017 and later received global attention after she was signed by the International Modelling Agency (IMG). The hijabi supermodel is now busy with various projects that include an ongoing partnership with the Turkish modest wear e-tailer Modanisa.