DUBAI: After taking a hiatus from the fashion industry, Halima Aden is back. The US-Somali model, who stepped back from the industry in November 2020, has just been revealed as Modanisa’s first brand ambassador.
Turkey-based Modanisa is the world’s largest platform that offers modest clothing options for veiled women, making the partnership one that Aden does not have to compromise her religious beliefs for — the primary reason she says she walked away from fashion in 2020.
“I’m so excited to be working with Modanisa. They have been an ever-present in my career: my first modest fashion catwalk, my first collection, and now my first global fashion role, all with Modanisa. They share my faith and values, and fully respect my choices as a Muslim woman. I’m coming home,” Aden said in a press release about her new position with the company.
Halima Aden x Modanisa headscarf collection. Courtesy of Fadil Berisha
Echoing her statement, Samim Surel, Modanisa’s vice president of marketing and brand, said: “We’re thrilled to have Halima Aden back working with Modanisa. She is an icon of our times, who perfectly embodies the values of our brand: smart, stylish, and passionate, wanting to live her best life without abandoning her religious beliefs. Like our customers, Halima is proud of her Muslim heritage, and seeks a harmonic blend between Islamic traditions and modernity. Her creative energy and positive connection with young Muslim women from all backgrounds will be a fantastic asset for us as we drive forward with our global plans.”
In addition to being the company’s brand ambassador, the 23-year-old, who inked a two-year deal with Modanisa, will also design two collections for the platform.
Halima Aden at Modanista London Modest Fashion Week in 2017. Photo by Rooful Ali
Aden is set to visit the company’s Istanbul headquarters later this month to start work on a range of shawls, which will launch early next year.
The model and former UNICEF ambassador has a longstanding working relationship with Modanisa.
Aden, who grew up in a Kenyan refugee camp before moving to Minnesota, first made headlines after wearing a Modanisa burkini during the swimsuit portion of the Miss Minnesota USA pageant in 2016.
In addition to fronting campaigns and walking runways for Modanisa’s Modest Fashion Weeks in London, Istanbul and Dubai, Aden has also produced a collection of headscarves for the e-tailer, which instantly sold out.
