Embracing their Arab heritage, these women have successfully carved successful modelling careers for themselves in the fashion industry.
Emirates Woman has curated a list of supermodels who’ve honed their Arab heritage, as they continue to inspire the upcoming generation.
Imaan Hammam
View this post on Instagram
With Imaan Hammam appearing on numerous runway shows, this model has managed to amass a massive fan base while working for brands such as Givenchy, Burberry, Dolce&Gabbana, Chanel & many more. While predominately being known as a beautiful Dutch fashion model, she is also of Egyptian and Moroccan descent and is identified as being a Muslim, as she continues to inspire young aspiring fashion models.
Gigi & Bella Hadid
While their mother, Yolanda Hadid, is of Dutch descent, Gigi and Bella Hadid’s father, Mohamed Hadid, was born in Palestine. In fact, the supermodel sister duo’s grandmother is from a Palestinian royal lineage – HRH Princess Khairiah Daher Hadid was a descendent from Daher Al Omer, Prince of Nazareth and the Sheikh of Galilee. The Hadid sisters regularly share their pride in their Palestinian heritage.
Shanina Shaik
View this post on Instagram
Shanina Shaik began her modelling career very young and has gone on to grace the Victoria’s Secret catwalk many times, as well as appearing in luxe fashion magazines globally. While she was born and raised in Australia, the supermodel’s origins go back to her Pakistani father who was raised in Saudi Arabia and her mother who is of Australian and Lithuanian heritage.
Hanaa Ben Abdesslem
View this post on Instagram
Hanaa Ben Abdesslem was the first Muslim Tunisian model who made her debut in the industry by first working for Vivienne Westwood’s London show. She’s also worked with top-tier brands such as Chanel, Hermès, Ralph Lauren and more. She is also known for her philanthropic works as she’s involved in extending her support to the Tunisian youth along with her involvement in the NGO and Youth Empowerment development association.
Shahad Salman
View this post on Instagram
Shahad Salman was born and raised in Saudi Arabia and was inspired by fellow model Winnie Harlow who suffers from the same skin condition as her – vitiligo which is a condition that causes the loss of skin colour in patches, which can get bigger over time. Salman has gone on to make an impact in the fashion industry appearing in many magazines, walking on runways and taking the lead on huge beauty and fashion campaigns.
Azza Slimene
View this post on Instagram
The renowned Tunisian model and actress is one to watch as she has made her mark on the international fashion week runway while walking for some of the biggest names in the industry including Chanel, Maison Rabih Kayrouz and Yohji Yamamoto, with her fans all ready to see her more often on the runway in the upcoming months.
– For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
Images: Instagram, Feature Image: Gigi Hadid Instagram
