# Ugbad Abdi (Ugbaad Cabdi)

> Ugbad Abdi: Kismayo-born model, first to walk for Fendi and Lanvin in a hijab (2019).

Source page: https://calankii.com/en/people/ugbad-abdi/
Last checked: 2026-11-12
Publisher: Calankii (https://calankii.com)

## Who is she?

Ugbad Abdi is a Somali-American fashion model born in Kismayo ([Wikipedia, Ugbad Abdi](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugbad_Abdi)). Her family fled the civil war to a refugee camp in Kenya, and in 2009, when she was nine, moved to Des Moines, Iowa with help from UNICEF (same source). See [Refugee camps](/en/diaspora/refugee-camps/).

## Modelling

She was scouted on Instagram after finishing high school and signed with Next Management ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugbad_Abdi)). She made her runway debut in Valentino's 2018/2019 haute couture show and has opened New York Fashion Week shows for Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors (same source). She has also walked for Chanel, Miu Miu, Burberry, Fendi, Lanvin, Max Mara and others (same source).

In April 2019 she appeared in the British, American and Arabian editions of *Vogue* at the same time (same source). In 2019 she became the first model to walk for Fendi and Lanvin wearing a hijab, and in 2022 she appeared on the cover of *Vogue France* (same source).

## In short

A Kismayo-born refugee who became a leading runway model and the first to wear a hijab for Fendi and Lanvin.

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