Meet Hijarbie, the hijab-wearing Barbie and its creator

In 2015, Adam started displaying dolls dressed in Muslim garb after she became frustrated by the dearth of modest clothing and hijabs on social media.

Adam, a self-taught artist who previously blogged about cuisine, faith, and fashion, frequently browsed Instagram for inspiration. However, she told The Guardian, “I didn’t see a doll that looked like me”.

So she made one herself, deciding to dress her doll in a black hijab, a navy maxi skirt, and a blue top. She posted a picture of her doll wearing the outfit in December 2015. Positive comments, such as inquiries about purchasing clothing for daughters or nieces, and amusing outfit envy—”when a doll’s got better style than me”—inspired her to create more ensembles.

She next created a look inspired by a cornflower blue abaya (robe-like dress) worn by British lifestyle and fashion influencer Habiba da Silva, which sparked a rush of media attention, including coverage in Teen Vogue.

Adam has 59,000 followers and more than 200 photos posted on Hijarbie’s Instagram account after seven years. She has created over 70 clothes that celebrate Muslim fashion and culture, as well as a variety of dolls that are based on famous Muslim women.

 

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Last month, she made a comeback to Hijarbie after taking a break to concentrate on her young family, motivated by the buzz surrounding the Barbie movie and its feminist message. “Barbie has created a new phenomenon, celebrating femininity, independence, and female power,” she told The Guardian.

The feedback has overwhelmingly been favourable. “Some people wrote things like ‘remove your hijab’, but that was a minority. Even non-Muslims have appreciated how important it is to talk about representation,” she was quoted by The Guardian.

Since she first opened her account, Adam has noticed an improvement in the portrayal of women who wear hijabs. A year after Adam had made her own recreation of the athlete, Mattel unveiled the first Barbie doll to have a hijab in 2017. Ibtihaj Muhammad, a US Olympic fencer, served as the model.

 

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She was particularly delighted to see a hijab-clad Barbie, played by Dr Fatumina Said Abukar, in the 2023 movie.

“My Barbies are diverse,” she told The Guardian. “I have Asian, white, and black dolls in a hijab. Barbie, the brand, also creates dolls in the likeness of celebrities and role models. The doll exists to celebrate all of us.”

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