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Muslim model breaks norm

Muslims are the second largest religious group in the world, so it only seems smart for companies to market to them, but that is certainly not the case, as 23-year-old London-based actress Mariah Idrissi is currently the talk of the fashion industry for being the first Muslim headscarf-wearing model for H&M.

Idrissi modeled in print and video advertisements wearing a hijab, a Muslim headscarf, for H&M’s Close The Loop Campaign to promote sustainable fashion by recycling and reusing unwanted garments. The advertisement featured a diverse group of models of varying ages, races and religions.

Idrissi was scouted to model for H&M by her casting director friend. She has not modeled previously, but after modeling for H&M, she is now interested in future modeling jobs.

She praised H&M for being respectful by asking her how much skin she can show on her neck and providing a private dressing area. During the shooting, the company would only have women fix Idrissi’s clothing.

Idrissi said she initially thought the media’s reactions were “a bit ridiculous,” but she understands.

“In the Western world, wearing a hijab for the second biggest retailer in the world is actually a big deal,” Idrissi said. “It’s amazing.”

While it is a good thing H&M is acknowledging more diversity, Idrissi, however, is just modeling. She is not committing a crime or doing anything outrageous, so it should not come off as a surprise to the extent where so many people are talking about it.

We live in a society where we emphasize equality for all races and religions, so this should be a normal thing, especially for a company with stores in over 50 countries internationally. As more fashion brands continue to hire diverse models, the shock should diminish and people should treat it as normal as a white model representing a fashion brand.

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Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

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