Halima Aden
Halima Aden is continuing her domination of the fashion world with a new campaign celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Nike Air Max 97.
The sportswear giant marked the occasion by inviting six creative individuals born in 1997 (including Aden) to reinterpret the iconic trainer using the brand’s newest design, the AM97 Ultra.Aden teased the campaign images on Instagram, which appear to have been shot at a go-kart track and in a baseball batting cage. In both images she is sporting a classic Nike sweatshirt, black leggings under a long grey skirt and a pair of AM97 Ultra’s.
The campaign images were based on three themes relating to the classic shoe design:
What you see is what you reinvent
When iconic design inspires infinite evolution
The revolution meets the road in the fastest fashion
“There’s always room for improvement,” Aden said of her interpretation of the themes. “My life philosophy is: If I did well yesterday, I could do better today. Even with these shoes, Nike is not thinking for the customers today, they’re keeping in mind the customers 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 60 years from now. What is that brand going to be remembered for?”
Also featured in the campaign is photographer Faye Webster, architect and illustrator Brian Lui, art curator and performance artist Anajah Hamilton, digital artist Lucia Sanina Ribisi and photographer Lauren Tepfer.
As the only hijabi selected to be part of the campaign, Aden continues to spearhead the representation of Muslim hijabi women in the fashion industry.
The 19-year-old made a name for herself as the first hijabi competing in the Miss USA beauty pageant and has since signed with the most famous modelling agency in the world, IMG Models.
Aden has gone on to appear in countless fashion shows and magazines including on the cover of Vogue Arabia last June.
“I never thought I’d be a model,” Aden told Vogue Arabia. “I’m stunned to see how many people this affects. Hearing from women, young girls especially— even my little cousin— saying, ‘thank you, for once I have someone I can relate to.’ That’s not something I had. I never saw a veiled model in magazines or on TV.”
With this campaign, Aden continues to pave the way for better representation of Muslim women in the fashion industry.
