How Halima Aden is Revolutionizing the Fashion Industry

Image via Sports Illustrated

On May 20, students, faculty, and guests from Northwestern University gathered at the Alice Millar Chapel to hear from Halima Aden, an international model who has recently made headlines for being the first model to wear a hijab and a burkini in Sports Illustrated. Aden was invited by Northwestern’s Muslim Cultural Students Association as their spring speaker. The event started off with Aden sharing her story, followed by a Q&A with the audience. Then, NU McSA hosted a traditional Muslim dinner to “break the fast” of Ramadan. Although she’s become a world-renowned model, Aden quickly won over the crowd with her humility,  sense of humour, and her smile.

Image via Sports Illustrated

During her speech, Aden shared her difficult life story and how she used her past to become the successful model and activist she is today. Aden’s story began in a Kenyan refugee camp that her mother fled to after escaping the civil war that had erupted in her home country of Somalia. As a refugee, Halima remembers traditions like gathering every week to read a list of the names of people who were being relocated, and having a strong group of friends that helped her forget she was in a refugee camp at all. “They were so lit,” she said laughing.

The 21-year-old model also shared the moment she found out she “won the million-dollar lottery” by being relocated to the U.S.. She remembers watching videos about what it’s like to live in America and getting excited to do the littlest of things, like using a vacuum for the first time. Moving to St. Louis, Missouri and then to St. Cloud, Minnesota also had its challenges. The schools she went to taught in English and she only knew Somali and Swahili. “It’s hard being first generation,” she said, as she shared her struggle of not having her mother to help her with homework and school life. Aden also talked about her struggles with her own identity and how she felt “not Somali enough,” “not Muslim enough,” and “not American enough” because she couldn’t fit in with anyone.

After asking the audience “who here has been bullied?” and watching many hands go up, Halima also shared about the time when she was bullied for being a hijabi, but lacked the “communication skills” to know how to fight back. “They’re (the bullies) in my DMs today,” she said jokingly.

Image via Sports Illustrated

However, soon after Aden realized that one doesn’t learn by being sheltered or scared of what others will say. She had to talk to other people and experience things outside of her comfort zone. Aden then gained confidence and found her own identity – and everyone around her seemed to notice. She became the first Muslim homecoming queen in her high school and then participated in the Miss Minnesota USA beauty pageant, where she made headlines by being the first contestant to wear a burkini in the competition. All before the age of 21, Aden had many “firsts“ under her belt. “Sometimes you have to be the first,” she said. Aden’s career has definitely been one groundbreaking “first” after another.

Since the pageant in 2016, Aden went on to sign a contract with IMG Models and became the first hijabi to grace the covers of Vogue Arabia, Allure, and British Vogue. Together with her pioneering shoot for Sports Illustrated last month, one can only assume that Aden will continue to challenge and break the barriers in the fashion industry that once existed for models who wore the hijab. Halima’s beauty, humanitarianism, humility, and strength will undoubtedly continue to revolutionize the fashion industry that we know today.

Halima Aden at the May 20th event with Wala Siddig, a Northwestern University first-year. Image via Giovana Gelhoren