Halima Aden is using her free time in lockdown to come up with new ways to style her hijab.
The model gained notice in 2016 when she became the first contestant in the Miss Minnesota USA pageant to wear a burkini and hijab, and she broke down barriers even further last year when she became the first model to wear them on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
Aden was also the first hijab-wearing model to walk international runways and to be signed to a major agency, with her modelling contract stating that the headscarf is a non-negotiable part of her work.
In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, the 22-year-old, who is spending quarantine with her family in Minnesota, shared that she was using the downtime from her hectic schedule to find new ways to style her wardrobe staple.
"For me, this has been the perfect time to experiment and come up with new hijab and turban styles and to get creative with my staple wardrobe item, the headscarf. My followers are always asking for scarf tutorials so you may be seeing some fresh looks soon!" she said.
Aden also revealed that she has been keeping her spirits up and staying hopeful by using her mother's mantra - "Tough times never last, but strong people do" - and writing thank you notes.
"I think we all have so much to be grateful for and it's the perfect time to reflect on our blessings and let those who have positively impacted our lives know we appreciate them," the model explained. "We will get through this. It's important for everyone to remember that and to have hope that we will come out of this - in some aspects, in a better place than we were before."
Elsewhere, Aden shared that she has been spreading hope from home by continuing her work with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and advocating for companies and organisations who are helping communities around the world during the pandemic.
