Halima Aden facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Halima Aden
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Aden at UNICEF on International Women’s Day, 2020
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| Born | September 19, 1997 Kakuma, Kenya
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| Alma mater | St. Cloud State University |
| Occupation | Model |
| Years active | 2016–present |
| Modeling information | |
| Height | 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) |
| Eye color | Dark brown |
| Agency | IMG Models (New York, Paris, Milan, London) |
Halima Aden (born September 19, 1997) is an American fashion model. She is famous for being the first woman to wear a hijab (a headscarf worn by some Muslim women) in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant in 2016. She made it to the semi-finals. After the pageant, many people noticed Halima, and she signed with a big modeling agency called IMG Models. She was also the first model to wear a hijab and a burkini (a swimsuit that covers the whole body except the face, hands, and feet) in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. In 2021, the BBC named her one of their 100 inspiring women.
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Early Life and School
Halima Aden was born on September 19, 1997, in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya. Her family is from Somalia. When she was six years old, she moved to the United States and settled in St. Cloud, Minnesota. She went to Apollo High School, where her classmates chose her as their homecoming queen. She also studied at St. Cloud State University.
Modeling Career
In 2016, Halima Aden gained national attention when she competed in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant. She was the first person in the pageant to wear a burkini and a hijab. Many people saw this as a step towards making the modeling world more diverse.
Breaking Barriers in Fashion
The next year, Aden signed a three-year contract with IMG Models. In February 2017, she made her first appearance at New York Fashion Week. She later helped judge the Miss USA 2017 pageant.
She has since walked for many famous designers, including Maxmara and Alberta Ferretti. She also took part in the 2016 Milan Fashion Week and London Modest Fashion Week. Aden has posed for American Eagle and British Glamour. She also appeared on the cover of CR Fashion Book.
Aden was the first model wearing a hijab to walk on international runways. She was also the first to sign with a major modeling agency. In June 2017, she became the first hijab-wearing model on the cover of Vogue Arabia, Allure, and British Vogue.
In May 2019, Aden became the first model to wear the hijab and burkini in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. This was another time she helped make the fashion industry more open to different people, including Muslims. Aden shared on her Instagram that her appearance in Sports Illustrated showed that "women of all different backgrounds, looks, upbringings...can stand together and be celebrated." In 2020, Halima became the first Black woman wearing a hijab to be featured on the cover of Essence magazine.
Designing Clothes
In April 2019, Aden worked with the modest clothing brand Modanisa. Together, they designed her own collection of turbans and shawls called Halima x Modanisa. In an interview, Aden said her collection was for everyone, whether they wear a hijab or not. She launched the collection at the Istanbul Modest Fashion Week on April 20, 2019.
Important Decisions
In November 2020, Aden announced that she had stopped runway modeling. She felt it sometimes went against her religious beliefs. However, she has since said she would do modeling work if she could set the rules. Famous models like Rihanna, Gigi Hadid, and Bella Hadid supported her decision.
Personal Choices in Modeling
Halima Aden's modeling contract includes her hijab. She has made it clear that wearing her hijab is a must for her work.
Aden has talked about how it can be hard to find modeling jobs that respect her choice to wear a hijab. She shared positive experiences, like working with Maxmara, where clothes were specially designed for her. Aden believes she does not need to change who she is to be a successful model.
Humanitarian Work
In 2018, Aden became an ambassador for UNICEF. Her work focuses on protecting children's rights around the world.
