Unite - Hanan Ibrahim
16 Feb 2021
At MIMCO, we're dedicated to empowering all women—and we believe that the right accessories can help you take on the world.
That's why, in line with the launch of our latest collection, we partnered with five trailblazing young changemakers who are paving the way for a better, brighter future.
Meet Hanan Ibrahim
Changemaker & model.
Hanan Ibrahim was one of the first Muslim models to wear a hijab on the runway in Australia (and one of the first signed to an agency), demanding acceptance in an industry that has so often been called out for its narrow definition of beauty.
We sat down with Hanan to talk about modelling, diversity and her hopes for women in the future.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
“I work as a full-time radiation therapist and model on the days I can take off. I’m very fortunate to juggle both roles and really enjoy what I do.”
What do you love most about what you do?
“I love my work as a radiation therapist where I treat cancer patients—I’m a big support system for critically ill people going through some of the hardest times of their lives. What I enjoy most is my patients’ resilience and their ability to find happiness and meaning in everyday life despite what’s going on around them.
“It’s a privilege to be the first Muslim model in this country who is signed to an agency and fill that gap in the market. When I saw the first billboard of me up in a shopping centre, so many young Muslim women were standing in front of it, taking pictures of it… it made me so emotional to know that they were so proud of me. Muslim women have never been a part of the fashion picture and to be a part of that change in the industry makes me want to continue. Young women always want somebody to be their role model and I hope that I can do them justice and make them proud.”
What does empowerment mean to you?
“Empowerment is true freedom in the choices that we make. It is freedom to live without fear—fear of losing our voices, losing our liberties, our communities, our lives... Empowerment is an abundance of choice—a world where we are free from all of the noise that can come from violent systems of domination, regardless of how they manifest in society.”
“It’s an ever-evolving relationship and journey. Grappling with different stereotypes and different categories you get put into by society - age, race, where you sit on the socioeconomic scale - these are all things that we have to constantly deal with. You’re always going to grow and change and be different.”
Can you tell us about your own path to personal empowerment?
“I can’t answer this question without mentioning all of the strong women in my life. I was raised by a strong mum, I have six sisters and am a middle child so learning from my siblings has taught me what it means to help myself but also bring up everyone around me.
“Another thing that is significant is my faith. Discovering what Islam meant outside of what I was hearing in the media. Knowing that the religion I grew up with at home, which is based on peace and loving one another, to see the way it’s portrayed in the world… I travelled to Morocco and Malaysia and other countries where Islam wasn’t viewed in that way at all.
“Growing up you don’t worry about these things but as you grow, you realise how much of an impact your ancestors’ voices have in every single thing that you do. It’s a shared feeling that there is something beyond the realms of our understanding that pushes and guides us through this life.”
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
“I grew up pretty shy, not being able to express myself out of fear of not being accepted or being tormented for who I was. The best advice that I have received is to never compromise who I am to make other people comfortable; to be uncompromisingly myself and be shameless about it.”
What is your hope or vision for women in the future?
“That all women and girls are safe, respected and have equal access to power, opportunities, resources and choices. The freedom to wake up and do what they want because that’s what they want to do. I hope for a society where the truth is upheld, because what that does is reflect the comforts that our society hides behind – the ableism, the sexism, the racism, the islamophobia, the anti-blackness – all that starts to come to the surface when women speak their truth. When women use their voices and actually speak on their lived experiences and the things that matter to them, that’s the best way that we’re going to create positive social change.”
What changes do you hope to see in the Australian fashion industry?
“I hope to see an industry that truly reflects what our world actually looks like. The different shapes, tones, sizes, voices, rather than the narrow definition of beauty that has dominated the fashion industry for years and years. I want to open up my social media apps and see all campaigns in Australia representing all Australians and not just a faction of our society. I want young people to grow up feeling included. I also want the abolishment of tokenism because tokenism overemphasises representation at the expense of inclusion.”
What advice would you give to young women who are hoping to follow in your footsteps?
“Figure out what your intention is, what it means for you, and go ahead and do it. Purpose will come to you. When you figure out what it is that makes you happy, that makes you want to wake up and enjoy your life, do it. There will be a lot of noise that will try and come and take you out of that space or interfere with what it is that you’ve picked for yourself. Ignore it. For so long I made way for the noise to interrupt my vision, my purpose, what I wanted for my own life only to realise that it doesn’t mean anything. Stay true to yourself, and whoever wants to come along on that journey will be there without you asking them.”
Shop the Unite collection, as seen on Hanan
