Why did Halima Aden quit the fashion industry?

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Halima Aden Quit the Fashion Industry Due to a Lack of Basic Human Respect and a Clash with Her Muslim Values

Halima Aden departed from the fashion industry because she felt it fundamentally lacked "basic human respect" and increasingly conflicted with her Muslim values. This decision stemmed from experiences of privacy violations, the trivialisation of her traditions, and a pervasive sense of tokenism within the sector, leading her to seek opportunities in modest fashion design.
Lack of Basic Human Respect and Privacy Concerns

Aden articulated that a significant factor in her departure was the absence of fundamental human respect within the industry. While she was often provided with a private space to change, she observed other young women in the industry being forced to undress and change in public areas, a situation she found "jarring" and unacceptable. This disparity in treatment highlighted a systemic issue of disrespect towards individuals and their personal boundaries.
Trivialisation and Misrepresentation of Traditions

The supermodel also felt that her Muslim traditions were frequently caricatured and exploited as a gimmick by certain brands. She cited a specific instance with American Eagle, where her hijab was replaced with jeans on her head for a campaign. Aden expressed that she reached a point where she could no longer recognize her hijab in the way she traditionally wore it, indicating a profound disconnect between industry practices and her personal religious observance.
Experiences of Tokenism and Lack of Support

Aden criticised the fashion industry for exhibiting "a lot of tokenism," suggesting that brands were eager to profit from Muslim consumers' purchasing power but were unwilling to actively support them on the issues they faced. She believes the industry has a responsibility to speak out and advocate when Muslim clients encounter injustices, a role she felt was largely unfulfilled.
Personal Well-being and Relief After Quitting

The decision to quit was described by Aden as a release from immense internal pressure, stating that keeping her feelings about the industry bottled up was "literal POISON!" Upon leaving the sector, she experienced profound relief, allowing her to pursue a path that better aligned with her self-worth and well-being. This led her to transition into designing collections for Modanisa, a prominent Turkish online modest fashion brand.

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Why did Halima Aden quit the fashion industry?

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