In this episode of FTD Facts, I'll be sharing a list of 10 of the Top Models
in The World who profess to be Muslim. Welcome back guys to FTD Facts. My name is Leroy Kenton,
and these ladies, they have made their mark in the fashion industry as proud Muslims. So let's get to
know them a little bit more. We're counting down from 10 all the way to number 1. Number 10 brings
us to the model, Kadijah Diawara. Kadijah Diawara was born in the Ivory Coast and raised in Egypt.
Her family then immigrated to the United States when she was six years old, but
Kadija is more than just a Muslim model. She wants to be known for more than just that.
She said this, and I quote, "Hijabis, and fashion, and beauty are an amazing thing.
I think it helps increase inclusivity and shows that we can coexist in a culture that goes beyond
stereotypes of what people think we are. But my agenda isn't solely "hijabi." I would advocate for
it, but at the same time, that's not my main stance. I'm here as a depiction and representation of the
kind of inclusivity that transcends fashion." Rania Benchegra comes in at number 9.
She is a Moroccan model who started her career back in the year 2011. She has since been the
lead in a campaign for H&M, and has been a part of a Victoria's Secret campaign. She's also very proud
to be a Muslim, and in an interview for Vogue Arabia, she had said this, "It is a great honor
for me to represent my country and Moroccan women worldwide. I do my very best to promote
Arab models and beauty. I have come to realize that I'm lucky to have grown up as a Muslim woman in
such an open and tolerant country, like Morocco." From there, we move on to Hanaa Ben Abdesselam.
Hanaa Ben Abdesselam is a Tunisian model, and she has worked with designers like Jean-Paul Gautier,
Chanel, Oscar de la Renta, as well as many others. Now, one thing that she's very proud of is that she
was the first woman - first Muslim spokesmodel, as a matter of fact, for the French perfume and cosmetic
house, Lancome. This is what she was reported to have said, "People I've encountered often,
assume that being Muslim means one is extremely conservative. There's also a tendency to look at
the Arab world as one big monolithic entity, with little variation from one country to the next. When,
in fact, there is a rich diversity of ethnicities, cultures, and even religions throughout the region.
In the west, there seems to be this fixation with the veil, and journalists often ask me if I wear
burqa when I'm back home. Little do they know that women in Tunis were one of the first in the region
to discard the veil, and that many progressive laws were passed over the decades to protect
their rights." Number 7, brings us to Shahad Salman. Shahad Salman grew up in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
She has a skin condition known as "vitiligo." And this condition causes a loss of pigment
in various patches of her skin. But guys you see, despite this, Shahad was inspired by the globally
famous model, Winnie Harlow, who also has the same skin conditions. Shahad Salman said these words in
an interview, and I quote, "I'm very proud of myself because I have dealt with many different fields.
In all my artwork, there is an imprint of my Arab culture that reflects our ancient Arab heritage."
We had to include this next model, Mariah Idrisi. Mariah Idrisi is a British model, as well as a
public speaker. And she really rose to fame after being recognized as the first Muslim, Hijab-wearing,
model, when she appeared in H&M's "Close the Loop" campaign back in 2015. Now, since then,
Mariah Idrissi has modeled for many fashion brands and magazines, as well as beauty companies which
include Rihanna's Fenty brand, and she has also walked the runway in Istanbul's modest fashion
week. So, that was 5 models so far. We have 5 more to go, but I just want to take this time to
let you know about a similar video that we have. We have 10 Famous Influencers Who Accepted Islam. So,
these people weren't born Muslim, they became Muslim afterward. Very interesting video. I'll link
to it below in the video description section. I guarantee you that it is going to surprise you, so,
you can check it out after this episode. Again, the link is below in the video description section.
We continue now with more models at number 5. We have Ikram Abdi. Ikram Abdi Omar was the
UK's first hijab-wearing model to be featured on the cover of Vogue when she was 21 years old. She also
became the face of the brand Burberry in 2019. So, not too long ago, she's a Swedish born Somali model,
who lives in the UK, and she has openly said that her heritage and religious beliefs have influenced
her modeling career. In an interview, this is what she had to say, "It's all about modesty for me.
As a Muslim, being modest is a major thing, and I just wanted to showcase to everyone that you can
be modest and be into fashion. Because the hijab itself, apart from representing Islam, represents
beauty." In at number 4, we have Imaan Hammam. Imaan Hammam is a Dutch model of Moroccan and Egyptian
descent. Imaan appeared on the most international Vogue covers of any model back in the year 2017.
She has appeared on the cover of Vogue 18 times worldwide! And her faith plays a huge role in her
career. I mean, after all, her name means "faith" in Arabic. In an interview, she had this to say, "When
I started, all girls looked the same, but now there is more acceptance of things such as natural hair,
and different sizes, and body types. I look at girls like Halima Aden, and I think it's amazing that she
is veiled and had such an incredible career. Since I also come from a Muslim background, and
being a proud Muslim myself, I feel blessed to have had the support of my family from day one.
This gave me the strength to use my platform to talk about issues like race and religion, with
the aim to empower young girls no matter the color of their skin or where they came from." We mentioned
her, but she is now coming up next. In at number 3, Halima Aden. Halima Aden is a Somali-American
fashion model who was born in a Kenyan refugee camp. She is very famous for being the first woman
to wear a hijab in the "Miss Minnesota, USA Pageant," where she ended up being a semi-finalist. Following
her participation in the pageant, Halima received national attention, and she was signed to "IMG Models."
She was also the first model to wear hijab and burkini in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit
issue. And, Halima Aden is also a UNICEF ambassador. She aims to take on the stereotypes of beauty as
a black, Somalian, Muslim, woman. And when it comes to her career and faith, she had this to say, "I didn't
really have modeling in mind. I wanted to spread a positive message about beauty and diversity,
to show other young women that there is room for them." Number 2 brings us to Bella Hadid.
her full name is Isabella Hadid, and she's an American model. Back in the year 2016, she was
voted model of the year by industry professionals for "models.com." That is a huge accomplishment! Well,
everyone knows by now that the Hadid family is known for their presence in the fashion industry,
and in an interview, Bella had this to say, "My dad was a refugee when he first came to America.
So, it's actually very close to home for my sister, and brother, and me. He was always religious, and he
always prayed with us. I am proud to be a Muslim." And in, at number 1, you probably guessed this
already. We can't mention Bella Hadid and not mention her sister Gigi Hadid. Her full name is
Jelena Noura Hadid, and she is the older sister of Bella Hadid, who made her debut in the, Top 50
Models ranking at models.com. Now, in 2016, she was named "The International Model of The Year" by the
British fashion council, and over the span of just four years, Gigi Hadid has made over 35 appearances
on international Vogue magazine covers. She was born to her Dutch model mother, Yolanda Hadid,
as well as Palestinian-born real estate developer, Mohamed Hadid. And, in her own words, Gigi said this,
"I feel very proud and very lucky to be of dual heritage." She said this in an interview with Vogue
in 2017. And, in British vogue in 2018, she added these words, "They built what we were given in our
childhood from nothing, so we work hard, and be kind, to honor our parents." And just like that, we made to
the end of another episode. This was a look at 10 of The Most Famous Muslim Models. Many people say
that fashion, and modeling, and Islam, cannot go hand in hand. Well, these ladies, are bucking
the trend and proving that, Yes, it can actually go hand in hand. As always, I want to hear your
thoughts and comments. Leave them down below, and don't forget to check out the recommended
video that I have for you, again, that link is in the video description section. Leave a like
before you get on out of here. Until next time guys, stay awesome, stay educated, and I'll see you soon!
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