19-year-old Halima Aden, a Somali-American has made history by becoming the first hijab-wearing model to be signed to the biggest modelling agency in
19-year-old Halima Aden, a Somali-American has made history by becoming the first hijab-wearing model to be signed to the biggest modelling agency in the world. Halima first stepped into the limelight late last year when she made international news for competing in the Minnesota Miss USA beauty pageant wearing a hijab and a burkini.
Now, she has become the first hijab-wearing model signed to IMG Models, the iconic modelling agency which is home to some of the world’s biggest supermodels including Kate Moss, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Rosie Huntington-Whitely, Joan Smalls and Lauren Hutton. Halima made her runway debut at the just concluded New York Fashion Week, where she walked in Kanye West’s show where she rocked her hijab and a floor-length fur coat on the runway to model the Yeezy Season 5 collection.
Halima who was born in a Kenyan refugee camp, but grew up in Minnesota, expressed how important it is to be yourself and abandon stereotypes.
“My goal is to send a message to Muslim women and young women everywhere that it’s okay to break stereotypes and be yourself,” she said. “Always stay true to who you are, barriers can and will be broken!”
Vogue
