American Eagle creates a denim hijab

By

Emily Jensen

Published
Jul 14, 2017

The mall brand has released a hijab for the first time, part of a larger trend from the retailer to be more inclusive and diverse in its campaigns and fashions.

 
The denim hijab first appeared in American Eagle’s most recent ad campaign, which includes Somali-American model Halima Aden. Aden, who is Muslim, wears the hijab as well as a green puffer jacket and chambray shirt from the brand’s recent collection.
 
The hijab was not made just for the campaign however and is available for sale on American Eagle’s online store, as Aden made clear in a recent Instagram post. The denim head covering retails for $19.95.

The 19-year-old model has made waves as the first hijab-wearing model to grace major magazine covers and star in mainstream campaigns. Aden has appeared on the covers of Vogue Arabia and Allure, the first time a model wearing a hijab has appeared either on a Vogue cover or a major American publication.
 
American Eagle has taken steps in recent months to position itself as an inclusive company. Its most recent campaign, which features Aden and other young influencers, did not use any digital retouching. The company also released a Pride collection in June of this year, whose proceeds benefitted the It Gets Better project.
 
American Eagle’s main competitor Abercrombie & Fitch was sued in 2009 by Samantha Elauf, who claimed the company discriminated against her religion by not hiring her due to the fact that she wore a hijab. Elauf eventually won her case in 2015.