Fashion followers have applauded Kanye West for casting debut model Halima Aden in his Yeezy Season 5 show in New York.
#HalimaAden debuts at #KanyeWest (@kanyewest)'s #YEEZYseason5 show today at #NYFW. pic.twitter.com/QocyBwaqZB
— IMG Models (@IMGmodels) February 15, 2017
Fans lauded him as a “visionary” and an “artist” for using the 19-year-old Somali-American at the toned down New York Fashion Week event on Wednesday.
Halima, who was reportedly born in a Kenyan refugee camp, graced the catwalk in an enormous beige fur coat, as well as her signature black hijab.
Finally it's here I couldn't be more happy for her inshallah many more to come #HalimaAden #Yeezyseason5 #Hijabi #Somali #Family 🎉🎉🎉 pic.twitter.com/LUJlncXOhz
— Queen Araweelo (@Aziza_Fashion) February 15, 2017
Success of staying true to yourself. #HalimaAden changed the game... https://t.co/tFshiXUzTI
— zs (@sully_Zak) February 15, 2017
You know how EXCITING this is!!!! Nobody can tell me you can't fulfill your dreams in a hijab, mashallah ❤️❤️❤️😍😍😍#Somali 🙌🏾🙌🏾 https://t.co/atht2Dc8s9
— ramla ✨ (@Ramla_Ty) February 15, 2017
Yayyyy!!!! 😭😭😭 https://t.co/46tRsBTkJP
— 🌹 (@_slayna) February 15, 2017
The low-key display proved a dramatic contrast to Kanye’s carefully choreographed outdoor Season 4 show in September, which got off to a late start.
This time models walked briskly down the Pier 59 catwalk to a version of J Holiday’s romantic track, Bed, wearing pieces in his famous dusty shades of charcoal, grey, camel and denims.
They paraded in front of guests, including Kanye’s wife, Kim Kardashian West, who wore an almost see-through purple top with matching trousers.
The restrained event follows a series of media headlines about Kanye’s mental health and controversial comments in support of Donald Trump.
Last week he deleted tweets about a December meeting with the US president, where he said the pair discussed “multicultural issues,” including violence in the rapper’s home city, Chicago.
Kanye was also absent from the long list of stars who attended the Grammy Awards on Sunday.
