H&M Unveils First Ad Campaign to Feature a Muslim Model in Hijab

Racked is no longer publishing. Thank you to everyone who read our work over the years. The archives will remain available here; for new stories, head over to Vox.com, where our staff is covering consumer culture for The Goods by Vox. You can also see what we’re up to by signing up here.

H&M's ad campaign for its Close the Loop recycling program is making headlines not just for the environmental aspect. One of the campaign faces, Mariah Idrissi, is the brand's first Muslim model to be featured wearing a hijab. H&M's move is the latest attempt from fashion brands trying to open their doors more to Islamic customers. Uniqlo released a designer collab earlier this year that featured hijabs, and brands like Mango and DKNY have released lines specifically catering to the month-long Ramadan holiday.

Idrissi recounted the whole experience for Fusion, starting when H&M first contacted her earlier this year. "Are you sure they know I wear a hijab?" she remembers asking. The "Close the Loop" video campaign also features an amputee model, plus-sized model Tess Holliday, a Gulf Sheikh and a group of Sikh men, as well as Idrissi.

"It always feels like women who wear hijab are ignored when it comes to fashion," Idrissi told Fusion. "Our style, in a way, hasn't really mattered, so it's amazing that a brand that is big has recognized the way we wear hijab."