Somali-American Halima Aden has been busy. Last fall, she was the first woman to compete in Miss Minnesota USA in a hijabi and burkini and last week she was signed by modelling agency IMG Models New York, the same agency that represents runway “it girls” Gigi and Bella Hadid, and Ashley Graham, and some of fashion’s most classic models, Kate Moss, Alek Wek and Canadian model, Jessica Stam.
Instagram.com/kinglimaa
Even more, Halima was interviewed by Iman for issue #10 of Carine Roitfeld’s CR Fashion Book. Iman is also Somali-American, and the two women share stories about how the West does not understand the history and honour of wearing a hijab and how the future of Somalia is in the hands of young muslim women like Halima. You can read the full interview here.
To round out her whirlwind month in fashion, Halima also walked in the Yeezy show wearing a hijab, and at Milan Fashion Week for Alberta Ferretti.
Halima Aden was born in a refugee camp in Kenya and was reportedly abandoned at age 6. She is currently studying at St. Cloud University in Minnesota.
You can follow Halima Aden on Instagram here.