Fashion activists: the models who confront, empower, promote diversity and raise awareness

Fashion is a powerful reflection of the values of each era. And nowhere do we get a more beautifully packaged example of the zeitgeist than with the models of the moment. The 1980s saw Amazonian goddesses strutting down the catwalk in gold lamé, the ’90s had silent Mossy and her party posse. But in the era of social media, we expect our models to have an opinion – and those all-important likes are far more easily garnered by a feminist caption than a bikini shot.

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And while activists and catwalks are not a new combination, previously the protesters weren’t exactly invited and were usually found clutching a can of red paint. However, in the increasingly politicised world in which we live, models are now championing major causes alongside their day jobs.

Vogue cover-star Adwoa Aboah has appeared in campaigns for Dior and Versus Versace while running Gurlstalk, a feminist website aimed at raising awareness of women’s rights.

British model Leomie Anderson has a similar website that takes on complex subjects such as the impact Brexit will have on black women, while also selling clothing with the words This p***y grabs back embellished on the front.

And since the Harvey Weinstein scandal, models such Cameron Russell, Edie Campbell and Doutzen Kroes have spoken out against sexual harassment by sharing their own experiences on social media. Russell, notably, shot to fame after giving a TED talk in which she criticised the fashion industry for its lack of diversity and argued that her success was part of a “legacy of gender and racial oppression”. It was viewed 17 million times and enhanced rather than hurt her career.

Gigi and Bella Hadid, meanwhile, are arguably the most successful new models in America. Raised observant Muslims by their father, Mohamed, both young women have stated that they are proud of their faith and recently marched against Trump’s controversial travel ban. Given America’s current political climate, that they are both household names and practising Muslims is a striking win for diversity.

Their success paved the way for women such as Halima Aden. Born in a Kenyan refugee camp, Aden moved to the US at the age of six and in high school decided to apply for the Miss Minnesota competition. But there was one problem: the swimming-costume round. Aden is a devout Muslim and wears the hijab, and she believed there should be a place for girls like her in the competition. Strikingly, she won it and she has since taken that yearning for a fairer world to fashion week, where she has walked on a variety of catwalks in her hijab.

From refugee camp to runway, hijab-wearing US model breaks barriers and helps the headscarf go mainstream