Biography
Who is Halima Aden?
Early life
Halima Aden was born in a refugee camp located in Kenya on September 19, 1997, and she comes from a Somali family. At the age of six, she moved with her family to the United States and settled in St. Minnesota.
She attended Apollo High School, where her classmates selected her to serve as their school homecoming queen. She later pursued her education by attending St. Cloud State University.
Career highlights
In 2016, Halima gained national attention after competing in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant as the first contestant to wear a hijab and a burkini. Following this event, she signed a contract with IMG Models and made her runway debut at New York Fashion Week for Yeezy Season 5.
She continued breaking barriers by becoming the first hijab-wearing model to appear on the covers of magazines such as Vogue Arabia, Allure, and British Vogue. She also became the first model to wear a hijab and burkini in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Throughout her career, she walked for various designers including Maxmara and Alberta Ferretti, and she collaborated with the brand Modanisa to release her own collection. In late 2020, she announced that she had quit runway modeling due to conflicts with her religious beliefs.
Humanitarian work and personal life
In 2018, Halima took on the role of a UNICEF ambassador, directing her efforts toward supporting children rights. She has consistently advocated for inclusive representation in the fashion industry and maintained her commitment to wearing the hijab as a non-negotiable part of her work.
She stands at a height of one hundred sixty-six centimeters. In July 2025, she announced that she would begin donning the niqab and transition her social media presence into an archive.
Birthday and age
Halima Aden was born on September 19, 1997, which makes Halima 29 years old today. That birthday falls under the Virgo sign. Halima shares the date with 43 other famous people.
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