When Aden first got the call from IMG Models to join its roster in 2017, she was a 19-year-old high school student with braces from Minnesota. What’s more, she is a Somali-born refugee who. In an industry that has the reputation for showing ample amounts of flesh and long, luscious locks to sell an image, her look certainly didn’t fit the bill. Still, she achieved the highest heights of her profession—and on her own terms too.
What was the experience like of taking the road less traveled when you started out in the fashion industry? What was the initial reaction you received? I have no idea. But I can tell you that change needed to happen on both sides. Individuals, like myself, needed to come along. Despite not seeing it, I wanted to take the chance and do something that was uncommon. It would have been easy for me to follow a more traditional path. I was living in Minnesota and was going to college. But I followed my heart, and when that call came from IMG Models, I went with my gut feeling and came on board.
It’s great that you’re doing this. And it seems that all you’ve achieved happened fortuitously. Were there any challenges that you faced along the way?