Fast-fashion retailer H&M may have more than 3,300 stores in 50-plus countries, but that doesn’t mean it has necessarily represented all ethnicities and religious persuasions in past advertisements, which have starred Beyonce, Gisele Bundchen, Adriana Lima and Anna Ewers, among others. Hennes & Mauritz, the world’s second-biggest fashion retailer, is launching a new effort to promote recycling as it seeks to cut its environmental impact, boost its ethical credentials and address looming shortages of raw materials.
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The brand has featured its first-ever hijab-wearing model-Mariah Idrissi-in a new commercial for the campaign and, well, it’s about time.
Idrissi appears in the video while the narrator says “look chic”-which is just what she is in an oversized pink coat, wide-leg trousers and John Lennon-style sunglasses, a perfect-for-fall ensemble paired with her printed hijab”.
In what feels like a huge step for inclusion in fashion (finally!), the kickass H&M Close the Loop advert features a diverse range of models.
However, she accepted the role because she feels that most of the women, who are wearing a veil, are often disregarded by the fashion world.
But after her parents gave consent she agreed, saying: “It’s awesome that a brand that is big has recognised the way we wear hijab”.
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And the 23-year-old praised H&M for the respect and understanding they paid her during the shoot. Those were the words of Mariah Idrissi, a Pakistani and Moroccan origin model who lives in London, United Kingdom. According to the Daily Mail, the majority of the team on the shoot were women and men were instructed not to touch her. She was also provided a private dressing room.
