Aden is Somali-American and has been storming the runways of New York, Milan, London and Paris for renowned designers – without compromising her modesty. Not only does she know how to work a catwalk, but she also graces the covers of magazines – and this month, its New York based PAPER magazine and her beauty shots will render you speechless.
In a series of close up portraits, Halima’s face is nothing short of stunning as she is seen in a variety of sublime high fashion makeup looks. In her chat with the magazine, Halima talked about her ambitions "for encouraging other girls to go out and have their own success stories”. She said, “I'm focused on the next generation. I want to one day see a hijabi at the Met Gala. I want to see a hijabi being a lead actress. Think of all the many firsts that are still out there. What can I do to encourage girls to dream big, to bring it home?"
The hijabi supermodel not only advocates for Muslim women around the world, but also participates in humanitarian causes, as she told PAPER, by "combining the fun stuff with the stuff that really matters - fashion with advocacy."
Born in a refugee camp in Kenya and having moved to America at the age of 7, she first gained attention when she made international headlines after she participated in Miss USA, a beauty pageant, in which she was the first contestant to unapologetically wear her hijab.
Becoming the first hijabi to sign with IMG Models, who also represent the likes of Bella and Gigi Hadid and Mirander Kerr, Halima Aden uses her newfound prominence in the fashion industry to be a voice and platform for other aspiring hijabi women.
When she announced her contract with the modelling agency, she took to social media and stated, "I signed with the top modeling agency in the world and still wore my hijab as my crown. Don't ever change yourself... Change the game.”
Halima is also a UNICEF ambassador advocating for migrants and refugees.
