Representation in the fashion industry is slowly improving, and yet underwear and swimsuit modelling are still areas where little progress has been made – until now.
Halima Aden has become the first hijab-wearing model to be photographed for Sports Illustrated (SI). When you look through the pages of the magazine or scroll through its Instagram feed, it’s clear that the norm is skimpy bathing suits. As a Muslim, Aden dresses modestly so she broke away from this convention by wearing a burkini for her photoshoot.
It isn’t the first time the 21-year-old has broken boundaries, and she’s fast becoming the most recognisable hijab-wearing model in the world. Born in a Kenyan refugee camp, Somali-American Aden moved to Minnesota when she was seven.
She started participating in pageants before becoming the first hijabi model to be signed to elite agency IMG Models, joining the likes of Bella and Gigi Hadid. Her career has since gone from strength to strength – from appearing on the covers of British Vogue and Elle UK to walking the runway for fashion houses like Tommy Hilfiger and MaxMara.
What makes the Sports Illustrated shoot even more special is it takes Aden back to her birth country and is shot at Watamu Beach, a pristine sandy spot on the coast of Kenya. On the shoot, Aden told SI: "I keep thinking [back] to six-year-old me who, in this same country, was in a refugee camp. So to grow up to live the American dream [and] to come back to Kenya and shoot for SI in the most beautiful parts of Kenya – I don’t think that’s a story that anybody could make up."
The shoot comes as part of SI’s annual Swimsuit Issue, and Aden is joining the rookie class of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2019 – along with famous faces like Jasmine Sanders and Winnie Harlow.
Aden is evidently thrilled by the statement the photographs make – she writes on Instagram: "Don’t change yourself… Change the GAME!! Ladies anything is possible!!! Being in Sports Illustrated is so much bigger than me. It’s sending a message to my community and the world that women of all different backgrounds, looks, upbringings… can stand together and be celebrated."
It’s not just Aden who is pleased with the shoot – it’s getting a whole lot of love on social media.
Halima Aden @Kinglimaa shows us that you can be empowered and beautiful fully covered. #ItsNotWhatYouWearButWhoYouAre
— profhuq (@profhuq) April 29, 2019
Muslim women are BEAUTIFUL. I had to defend Halima Aden because many people assume she is moving progress backwards when in reality she is helping. It’s all about representation and making people from all backgrounds HEARD and APPRECIATED. ❤️❤️
— Kaylee Raines❤️❤️ (@Kaylee_raines23) April 29, 2019
— Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) April 29, 2019
However, as with anything to do with religion, it should also be noted that the photos have been subject to a lot of unfortunate trolling at the same time.
On Aden’s part, she doesn’t judge anyone who makes different choices to her. She told Vogue: "I have a friend who dons the most revealing clothes, and I’m like, ‘Girl, if that’s what makes you feel happy and beautiful—go ahead’. I’m willing to stand up for her. But it’s ironic because people will slut-shame her, but then apparently they think I’m oppressed because I choose to do the opposite and cover my body."
Growing up Aden says she never saw anyone who looked or dressed like her in the pages of magazines, and now she’s setting the standard for other young Muslim girls. She tells Elle UK: "I don’t speak for every Muslim girl – I can only speak for myself – but I want to be a good role model. If I can encourage girls to stay true to themselves and not be scared to try something new, then I’ve done a good job."
The SI shoot comes at a time when modest fashion is exploding in popularity – the hashtag #modestfashion has over 1.7 million tags on Instagram, and a new modest collection has just hit ASOS. With the industry booming and representation getting increasingly better, Aden is paving the way for other hijab-wearing models to grace the pages of major magazines.
