COVERSTORY
Not content with being a trailblazer in the modelling world, Fadhi Mohamed is keen to inspire girls to pursue careers in Stem and finance
When Campbell Addy chose the cover image of his first book, Feeling Seen, it wasn’t a shot of Naomi Campbell, Adut Akech or Beyoncé, all of whom appear on the inside pages, instead the Ghanaian-British photographer opted for an image of model Fadhi Mohamed – whom he had photographed two years earlier for a Wall Street Journal cover.
It was only her second shoot but, looking beautiful and poised, wearing a full-length red sequin Bottega Veneta dress and lavender hijab, you wouldn’t know.
Fadhi was first approached by a model scout at the age of 15, while out with her mother in Westfield shopping centre, London, but decided to concentrate on her studies rather than pursue a modelling career at that stage. “And I didn’t think it was something that made sense for me at the time, or even something that I could do.” By her second year at London’s Queen Mary University she had found her confidence and personal style and, with the encouragement of her family and friends, she walked into Storm Model Management.
“I had a test shoot and then they gave me a contract,” she tells us excitedly. “I’ve been with them ever since and, I mean, they’re great… I could talk about Storm for hours.”
What strikes you when speaking to Fadhi is her positive attitude and, although she has worked fastidiously to follow her dreams, she invariably and politely acknowledges the help and support she has received from others.
Fadhi and her parents arrived in London as refugees in the 90s during the Somali civil war. She was just two years old, so can only remember life in the UK. “People often ask if I remember Somalia, but I don’t. I went to nursery and school here, so consider myself British.”
The family settled in a leafy area in northwest London, where they are still based now.
“It’s a lovely area and there’s so much to do. You can take nice walks and it is really close to Notting Hill, Portobello Market and Westbourne Grove.”
She’s the eldest of six, with one sister and four brothers. “So I have to set the standard,” she laughs. “I think my parents are proud and, because I’m the eldest, they’ve put a lot of faith in me and have been so supportive, which has helped me overcome every obstacle. It’s just nice to have people in your corner.
“My brother is doing computer science at this moment and I’m kind of encouraging him to go into modelli
