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Halima Aden has become one of the most well-known faces in fashion and has, arguably, over the last decade, truly changed the face of the industry, too.
When the Somali-American model entered the space in 2017 after being signed by IMG Models following her groundbreaking appearance in the Miss Minnesota USA Pageant as the first hijabi contestant, she instantly became a huge role model and representative for modest dressing and the global Muslim community.
However, it seems the 27-year-old has hinted she is stepping away from the world of fashion for good following a recent Instagram post where she declared she is “no longer performing”.
Over the weekend, Aden posted what many are calling her final goodbye to the fashion industry. She shared a simple, powerful image, with the word “Allah” in Arabic calligraphy, followed by the words: “Niqab on. Voice off. May He be pleased.”
In the caption of the post, she further elaborated, writing, “I’m no longer performing. I’m no longer persuading. I belong to Allah. This account is now an archive…”
It’s not clear whether the declaration is literal or symbolic, as since the post on Sunday, Aden’s account has remained quiet. However, it does appear the model is strongly suggesting she is taking a firm step back from the fashion world and perhaps social media altogether.
This isn’t the first time Aden has declared she was taking a step back from modelling. In November 2020, during the pandemic, Aden shared she felt her “personal hijab journey” has been compromised in the fashion industry.
“I finally realised where I went wrong in my personal hijab journey,” she wrote on Instagram at the time, simultaneously sharing past photo shoots she appeared in, one of which a pair of jeans was styled on her head instead of a scarf. “I was so desperate back then for any ‘representation’ that I lost touch with who I was,” she added.
The following year, Aden sat down with designer Tommy Hilfiger in an interview for BBC World Service, recalling how she “ran into problems” with her hijab.
While she felt she was helping to open doors for women and girls in her community, giving them the much-needed representation they had been missing for so long in media and fashion, it caused the model “internal conflict”.
“When I started I thought: ‘This is going to open the door for so many girls in my community,’” she recalled in the interview. “I never got to flip through a magazine and see someone in a hijab, so to be that person for other girls was a dream come true. But the last two years [of my career], I had so much internal conflict.”
One such big moment for Aden was appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated wearing a burkini by Tommy Hilfiger, which she declared “made quite the statement” but also noted that she was treading a “thin line”.
“I’d be upsetting members of the Muslim community,” she recalled. “[I would hear] comments like, ‘This burkini is way too form-fitting’ and ‘Why would you shoot for a publication [like that]?’ It felt like I was constantly trying to appease my Muslim fans but also keeping it very fashionable.”
However, last December, Aden made a return to the world of modelling, which she described as being on “her terms”. Headlining Modest Fashion Week, which took place in Abu Dhabi, she walked the runway in a stunning Marina abaya.
Prior to Aden’s post hinting she would be taking a step back from the fashion world, she shared a plea to her 1.2 million followers to help the people of Gaza, where the population is facing a “man-made famine and widespread starvation” by Israel, the UN recently declared.
“I’m not here to be political. I’m here to be human,” she wrote. “Gaza’s children are starving, and my soul can’t stay silent. This isn’t about hate, it’s about hunger, faith and accountability.” She urged her followers to spread awareness and to donate to help those in need.
