It takes a certain sense of fearlessness to wear head-to-toe white, so we weren’t surprised when the boundary-breaking hijabi-wearing model Halima Aden was spotted having a blanche monochromatic moment. The Somali-American model touched down in the United Arab Emirates for Etihad’s annual Arabian Travel Market exhibition this week and decided to break out her summer whites for the occasion. While staying at Abu Dhabi’s Rosewood Hotel on Al Maryah island, the 19-year-old kept things simple and refined with a sleek white ensemble by Algerian-French designer Faiza Bouguessa. Dubbed the first hijabi-wearing model – she made her runway debut at Yeezy’s Fall 2017 show – Aden radiated elegance with an artfully tied black headscarf and matching strappy heels while she beamed next to a dragon statue at the hotel’s Dai Pai Dong restaurant.
It appears that Aden, who was born in a Kenyan refugee camp, has already made a friend during her short time here. She posted a picture with a falcon in a set-up of the airline’s onboard three-room suite on her Instagram with the caption, “My new Falcon friend and I take Dubai!!” Tonight, the model is set to launch Runway To Runway, an Etihad Guest club for those who love fashion. Of course, no trip to the UAE is complete without a visit to Abu Dhabi’s jaw-dropping grand mosque.
Halima Aden’s most inspiring quotes
