After a six-year hiatus, the @hijarbie Instagram account posted a photo of a doll wearing a sugar-pink dress and hijab in front of a matching pink wall, signaling its return. The caption read, “This #Hijarbie is back,” pleasing its followers who expressed their excitement in the comments. Nigerian artist Haneefah Adam, the creative mind behind @hijarbie, began showcasing dolls in Muslim attire in 2015 after realizing the lack of representation on social media.
Being a self-taught artist who previously blogged about fashion, faith, and food, Adam often searched for inspiration on Instagram. However, she couldn’t find a doll that resembled her, which motivated her to create her own. She sewed a navy maxi skirt, blue blouse, and black hijab and posted a picture of her doll wearing the ensemble in December 2015. The positive feedback and requests to purchase the clothes for daughters and nieces encouraged her to design more outfits.
Over time, Adam crafted approximately 70 outfits celebrating Muslim culture and fashion, including dolls inspired by prominent Muslim women. Her creations gained attention, and she has accumulated over 59,000 followers on @hijarbie, posting more than 200 photos. Last month, she returned to @hijarbie after taking a break to focus on her family, coinciding with the hype surrounding the Barbie movie and its feminist message.
The response to Adam’s work has been overwhelmingly positive, with only a minority expressing negative opinions. Even non-Muslims have acknowledged the significance of representation. In 2017, Mattel released a hijab-wearing Barbie doll inspired by US Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad, a year after Adam created her own version. Adam was also delighted to see a hijab-wearing Barbie in a 2023 film played by Dr. Fatumina Said Abukar.
Adam’s artwork draws on her upbringing in Nigeria, where she learned the Qur’an and listened to Arabic scholars’ recitations. Apart from her work on modest doll fashion, Adam runs a clothing line and creates food art based on Nigerian cuisine, all of which celebrate her culture and identity.
While Adam initially pursued a career in medicine, her passion for art resurfaced after returning to Nigeria. Winning a food art competition in 2016 propelled her artistic career, leading to commissions and exhibitions in Nigeria and New York. Now 32 and residing in Lagos, Adam plans to expand @hijarbie and showcase more Muslim role models. She will be launching a website this month to market her handcrafted modest doll outfits. If successful, she hopes to create matching children’s clothing, allowing Muslim girls to coordinate with their dolls.
Adam emphasizes the diversity of her Barbies, which include Asian, White, and Black dolls wearing hijabs. Additionally, Barbie, as a brand, creates dolls resembling celebrities and role models. The doll exists to celebrate people of all backgrounds.
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