Ex-refugee, model leaves US catwalks to start fashion for Muslim women | The world

Halima, an American of Somali descent, is now found only in the hijab, an Islamic dress that reveals the face, and in Burkini, a bathing suit that covers the heads of Muslim women. “From a young age, the phrase ‘You do not change yourself, change the system’ inspired me to do many things,” he explained to AFP during a visit to Istanbul, Turkey.

For her, giving a place to Muslim women in fashion means respecting them, changing quickly in a career that, during her experience, has achieved her values, she says.

“When I decided to give it all up, I did just that. And I’m so proud,” said the 24-year-old.

The breakthrough was announced last November and took the fashion and influence world by surprise, congratulating him on his courage and pioneering approach in the field.

Halima Aden first appeared in Burkina Faso in 2016 during a beauty pageant in Minnesota. Then, he, who was already popular, landed in 2019 for the annual edition of Sports Illustrated with this type of clothing – which has caused controversy in Western countries to this day.

Undressing in front of dozens of people

Meanwhile, she was increasingly embarrassed with certain practices in the fashion world, such as changing clothes in front of a large team. Halima says she has not been able to rise in a profession that has “little respect for human beings”.

“I’ve always been given a dressing room, a separate place for me to change, but most of the time, I can only benefit from a little intimacy,” he says.

“I saw my young colleagues undressing in public in the presence of famous journalists, cooks, tailors and assistants. It was very shocking,” he recalled.

The model felt that her traditions, which were completely different from other models, had been ridiculed and insulted by some brands. The American eagle once changed his veil over a pair of jeans over his head.

“It’s not a question of style! It came from the fact that I could not recognize my hijab because I wore it traditionally,” he notes.

The decision to drop photo shoots and fashion shows freed her, he points out. “I was never so relaxed. It was like poison to me to keep it all up,” he compared at the time, to Instagram.

In Istanbul, surrounded by fashion fans from the Middle East, Halima Aden was relaxed at an event organized by Turkish brand Modanisa, for which she now designs exclusive and “moderate” collections, known as fashion for Muslims.

The industry is growing and has already reached US $ 277 million in 2019 – a tenth of the world’s fashion industry, but it has a huge growth rate. In recent years, Moscow, Riyadh and London have hosted special fashion shows for these audiences – an evolution by models like her is possible.