Hijabi model Halima Aden on her journey from refugee camp to runway

Photo: Model Halima Aden attends the 2017 Glamour Women of the Year Awards at the Kings Theater in Brooklyn, New York, U.S., November 13, 2017. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

It’s a somewhat overcast Friday afternoon as day one of the inaugural edition of Modanisa’s Dubai Modest Fashion Week (DMFW) is about to get underway. Despite that, there’s a lively buzz backstage at the event’s main runway in Burj Park during the preparations for Turkish designer Rasit Bagzibagli’s opening show.

But it’s not just any show; not only does it mark 32-year-old Bagzibagli’s first modest-fashion collection, but it also features a special appearance by none other than the model of the moment, Halima Aden.  

“It’s my first time working with her, and she’s amazing!” Bagzibagli told us, admitting that he didn’t know much about the rising star before this event. “I didn’t realise just how big modest fashion is; it has come as a surprise to me to see the demand. And Halima is wonderful; she’s full of energy, she’s only 20, and she has a wonderful life ahead of her.”