Halima Aden Reveals Why She Took a Risk, Posed for SI Swimsuit in a Burkini

The model made brand history during her 2019 feature in Kenya and inspired confidence in others in the process.

Halima Aden was photographed by Yu Tsai in Hollywood, Fla. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Halima Aden knew she was taking a risk when she decided to pose for the SI Swimsuit Issue in a burkini.

It was 2019, and the model was offered a feature in Kenya. She knew that posing for the magazine in a burkini had “never been done” before, and that becoming the first could—and very probably would—elicit some backlash. “Being the first is not necessarily always the easiest,” she remarked of the decision during this year’s 60th anniversary legends photo shoot in Hollywood, Fla. But she agreed to it and hasn’t looked back since.

In fact, Aden is “so grateful” she followed through with both the 2019 feature and a 2020 photo shoot in the Dominican Republic “because there are so many women who do wear the burkini.” Because of her, those women can “see themselves represented in an iconic magazine like Sports Illustrated Swimsuit,” she explained.

Admittedly, she did deal with some backlash following the feature. But, according to Aden, that’s a given. “There’s always going to be skepticism no matter what you do in life,” she said. The model likes to use that pushback as an impetus for personal growth. “I think in order to evolve as a woman, you absolutely need to get comfortable with taking risks. I always tell my little sisters and cousins, ‘get comfortable with being uncomfortable if you want to grow in this life.’”

And, anyway, the pushback following that trip to Kenya was nothing compared to the positive reactions. “I do think the support and the genuine love that came from so many people from all over the world outweighed any negativity that could have come with it,” Aden said.