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Fashion model and former refugee Halima Aden, is breaking boundaries as the first hijab wearing model gracing magazine covers and walking in high profile runway shows in the fashion world.
At just 19, the Somali-American has become the most talked about model since last year. People began noticing her after she competed in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant in November last year.
She competed wearing her hijab and was fully covered up during the swimsuit portion of the competition.
Here are 5 things you should know about her:
1. She was born in a Kenyan refugee camp.
2. She's the first hijab-wearing model to sign with IMG Models.
3. Not only does she wear a hijab on the runway, she also rocks her braces.
4. The former editor-in-chief of Vogue Paris thinks she will become a fashion icon.
5. She's the first hijab-wearing model to appear on the cover of CR Fashion Book.
In the interview accompanying her cover shoot, Aden acknowledges the pressure of being a model who wears a hijab. "A lot of people had a misconception that I would be the perfect poster child for Islam," she says. "So I got a lot of Instagram comments like, 'Oh, you don't have your neck covered, you're not a Muslim!' My thing is, stop judging women, especially if you're a man, because you don't know the responsibility that comes with wearing a hijab."
