American model of Kenyan-Somali origin Halima Aden retired from her modeling career because of her religious beliefs. Sky News reports.
The model became the first girl to appear for the sports magazine Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in a Muslim swimsuit burkini and hijab. The celebrity said that despite her success in the modeling business, she often felt pressure from others and could not relax during photo shoots.
23-year-old Aden explained that she “lost herself” while working with major publications. So, for example, it upset her that most stylists did not take the hijab seriously and constantly tried to cover it up on the set.
According to the model, her mother has long pointed out to her that her modeling career is not changing her for the better. Aden agreed with her statement and quit her job. She announced that she would no longer try to look sexy and removed the cover of Vogue with her photo from her pages on social media.
In April 2019, Aden became the first fashion model who was invited to appear in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in a hijab. The shooting took place on a beach in Kenya, where the girl lived in a refugee camp for several years. It is known that she was born in Somalia, but was forced to flee the country with her family. From Kenya, the girl moved to the USA.
Halima Aden is one of the first professional models in history to wear a hijab. It is noted that at the age of 19 she became the first woman to wear traditional Muslim clothing at the Miss Minnesota pageant in the United States, and in April 2018 she became the first hijab model to appear on the cover of British Vogue.