Halima Aden Denounces Fashion on Social Media; Enters Miss Universe Pageant

Halima Aden Covers ELLE Singapore November; Denounces Fashion on Social Media; Enters Miss Universe Pageant Entire Fashion Story in AOC Fashion

Halima Aden covered the November 2020 issue of ELLE Singapore, styled by Kate Moroney and fashion editor Jinh Ni in images by photographer Ben Lamberty (IG). /Creative direction by Jack Wang; makeup by Christopher Ardoff

Andrea Sim interviewed Halima Aden for the cover story: Somali-American Model and Activist, Halima Aden Has A Higher Purpose

It’s a fact that two seemingly contradictory facts or realities can exist at the same time. In this minute — when the world is reeling with pain and suffering on multiple fronts — AOC hasn’t fully processed Halima Aden’s fourth quarter in fashion world.

Talking about her rise to a position of top model with Andrea Sim, Aden covered her exciting rise championed by her big break at Yeezy and also [not mentioned but inserted by AOC] Carine Roitfeld. Halima enjoyed the support of one of fashion’s most influential women and mentors, with Carine even sharing the stage with Halima in a well-publicized event that supported her giving voice to modest dressing and her own determination to honor her Muslim values, as she defines and embraces them.

Halima Aden doesn’t mention Carine’s support — and I know that she made a stupid comment in 2020 about not seeing Halima as being Black when they were interacting. The blowback was fierce and Roitfeld apologized profusely As a white woman racial activist, I understand well the point Roitfeld was trying to make, but it did not go down well.

Roitfeld even devoted a 2018 CR Fashion Book cover and significant editorial exposure to Halima Aden and Gigi Hadid’s work with UNICEF, prompting AOC to write a headline: Carine Roitfeld Breaks Ranks With Gigi & Halima Promoting UNICEF USA & Doing Good In CR Fashionbook #23. With Edward Enninful’s arrival at British Vogue, activism gained a much more prominent place in those pages. But Carine Roitfeld moved out to the front of the pack in supporting Halima’s devotion to her modesty values.

In total — Roitfeld’s non-mention aside — the 23-year-old activist model, who gave a most-inspiring TED Talk in Kakuma, the Kenya refugee camp that has been home to significant numbers of models, spoke well of the fashion industry in her ELLE Singapore November 2020 issue interview.

It’s one of the reasons why Aden recounts her time in Kakuma to be joyful, and why she’s come to combine fashion and activism today as a UNICEF ambassador, using her platform to advocate for children’s rights. “I’m so proud to say that during one of my very first meetings with IMG, we talked about wanting to work with UNICEF, and they set up an appointment.” She lets on that her mum doesn’t so much get the fashion stuff or care for it, but is delighted whenever Aden tells her about the work she does with UNICEF. “That’s our common ground,” she says. “I’m just so grateful that I’m at a place where we can combine both things I love so much.”

Daily Sabah describes Halima Aden’s dramatic decision weeks later that “she was saying goodbye to her career as a top model, saying she prioritizes “DEEN (religion) over Dunya (world).” Announcing her decision to her fans in a very heartfelt text, Halima wrote, “I felt betrayed by myself” because she did things she did not believe in, for instance, dressing in a way to show her earrings or skipping prayers.

Halima Aden charges that brands made her wear clothes that did not align with her personality, or photographers took photos of her that she did not feel comfortable with.

Asserting her new rules, Halima said: “From now on, anyone who wants to work with me should know that I will not wear heavy makeup, I will wear wide hijab, and I will not wear clothes that I do not feel comfortable with in terms of privacy.”

Presumably, this ELLE Singapore fashion editorial is kaput going forward, given that Halima is wearing the heavy makeup that was apparently forced upon her without her approval. I’m also assuming that her decision to appear in Sports Illustrated in the first hijab-wearing model in a burkini is another example of the fashion industry forcing bad values on Halima Aden.

Daily Sabah explains that "Strictly rejecting glory, fame and money, Halima committed a radical act that is referred to as “symbolic suicide.”

Symbolic suicide occurs when a person destroys or escapes from their social identity or their position in society. Halima escaped from her position in society which is a position of accomplishment and beauty to embrace her ultimate position as a "kul" (creature) of Allah. In being kul, she dared to free herself of the worldly possessions which turn into obligations you have to abide by.

AOC isn’t certain that Halima Aden actually meant to do all that, but headlines in Muslim media worldwide are that she’s given fashion the boot.

The Ticker writes that Halima is even mad at Vogue Arabia, where she is a Diversity-Editor-at-large. Halima does like very much this Vogue Arabia cover, which didn’t require her to compromise her values.

Note that Vogue Arabia is giving Halima Aden much support in however she decides to enforce these new decisions about her career.

In a simultaneous move that will give Republicans a lot of running room for throwing rotten tomatoes — Halima Aden hails from Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s Minnesota district — the model announced at the end of November that she is entering the Miss Universe contest — not an an American but as Ms. Somalia, her true calling.

Aden took to social media over the weekend to state her wishes to be Somalia’s first representative in the international pageant. “All those other ‘firsts’ have prepared me for my true calling! I will be the first Miss Somalia on the stage of Miss Universe,” said Aden.

It does seem that Halima Aden is undergoing a major metamorphosis in her life, and we wish her only the best. ~ Anne