Halima Aden – The model who went from refugee camp to international model

Halima Aden – The Model Who Went From Refugee Camp to International Model - Liyanah.co
Halima Aden – The Model Who Went From Refugee Camp to International Model – Liyanah.co

Halima Aden made history when she became the first hijab-wearing model on the cover of Vogue magazine. Born a Refugee, Halima is a Muslim Somali-American model who's quickly becoming a big name in the world of fashion.

She lived until the age of seven in Kenya at the Kakuma Refugee Camp before moving to the United States and so far she made her mark everywhere.

On February 8, 2019, all eyes were on her at the Sherri Hill fashion show in New York City on a catwalk wearing the one-of-a-kind cyan blue — UNICEF's official color — couture gown with a matching hijab. UNICEF ambassador and activist, she has found many ways to help  others and bring her own experience as a refugee to raise awareness and encourage support for UNICEF's global humanitarian relief work.

@Halima instagram
@Halima instagram

From landing the cover of British Vogue to walking on New York Fashion Week runways, Halima has proved that there is a place for modest Muslim women in the fashion industry.

Halima said on BBC: "Young girls who wear a hijab should have women they look up to in any and every industry."

"We are now seeing politicians, business women, television reporters and other successful hijabi women in visible roles and that is the message we need to be sending," she said.

She returns very often to Kenya's Kakuma Refugee Camp - to share an inspiring message about what she's learned on the path from child refugee to international model.

Unicef USA
Unicef USA

Halima Aden becomes first model to wear a burkini in Sports Illustrated. Somali-American model Halima Aden has become the first Muslim model to appear in Sports Illustrated magazine wearing a hijab and burkini. She appeared in the swimsuit edition, out in May, wearing a number of different colourful burkinis.

For her SI Swimsuit rookie spread, we couldn’t think of a more perfect place travel than her birth country, where she shot on the Kenya cost at Watamu Beach with photographer Yu Tsai.

@Halima instagram
@Halima instagram