Aden took the decision to quit after being forced to compromise her religious beliefs.
Somali-American model Halima Aden took to her Instagram and announced her plan to quit the fashion world, citing religious reasons on Wednesday. The 23-year-old is one of the first models to wear a hijab and walk for major fashion labels like Yeezy by Kanye West and Allure etc.
On Instagram, Aden wote, “When I tell you they could call me tomorrow and not even for 10$ Million would I ever risk compromising my hijab ever again,”
She started her modelling career in 2016 after competing in Miss Minnesota USA wearing a hijab. Later, she was featured on the cover of British Vogue. She has also made history with the Swimsuit Issue of sports Illustrated, as she was the first woman to wear a hijab and a burkini, a full-body swimsuit, in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition.
She pointed out how the fashion industry has not still warmed up to the idea of hijabi model. Moreover, what she experienced was fashion industry never seemed to be doing justice to her hijab and lacked stylists who could understand that wearing a hijab didn’t just mean covering her head.
She said, “I can only blame myself for caring more about opportunity than what was actually at stake. I blame myself for being naive and rebellious, but also the lack of Muslim women stylists in the industry. I had to make these mistakes to be the role model you trust. We need to have these conversations in order to truly change the system.”
Other international super-models like Bella Hadid, Gigi Hadid and Ugbad Abdind have applauded and supported her decision. Aden also talked about Rihanna’s support throughout on hijab, sharing a picture from her Fenty shoot saying, “Sis let me wear the hijab I bought to set. This is the girl I’m returning to, the real Halima”
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