The global fashion industry has been marching under the inclusivity banner lately, with many brands now featuring more models from minority backgrounds, more models who done the hijab, and more real-looking women and plus-sized figures. This week, one London-based model who encompasses all these identities and increasingly appreciated standards has burst onto the scene, and she is getting so much love from every corner of the globe.
Billy Marsal, a 21-year-old hijabi influencer who regularly posts photos of herself on her Instagram page wearing the latest trends and styles, has been making headlines for featuring in PrettyLittleThing’s new modest collection. Black, Muslim, plus-size, and stunning, Marsal is being seen across the world as a role model for many underrepresented girls and women, and her shoot is the first time the brand features a model with a hijab. Taking to Twitter, Marsal shared some screenshots of herself on the site and wrote: “Soooo... that's me. THE FIRST HIJABI ON PLT!!! Still so wild to me.”
In a recent interview with CNN, Marsal explained the importance of her recent shoot, saying, “I didn't realize how big of a deal it was until I started getting replies and messages from people who were so excited about it, then I realized, wow, this is amazing […] an insane feeling, Yes, I am Black, I am Muslim, I am plus size, but I never thought it would be me to make people feel like this […] As girls who wear the hijab, we grew up buying clothes and having to alter things to make them modest so for them now to tell Muslim girls, 'Guys, we're catering to you, too' is a very big deal."
