PrettyLittleThing is praised for featuring models in hijabs for the first times including a plus-size Muslim influencer to promote its new modest range
- PrettyLittleThing chose a model wearing a hijab for the first time on their site
- Shoppers took to social media after Billy Marsal identified herself as the model
- She received a flood of support as many gushed about diversity in fashion
Shoppers have praised PrettyLittleThing for selecting photographs of women wearing hijabs to model its products for the first time.
The British online retailer chose plus-size influencer Billy Marsal and model Marlene Marie, to show its new modest edit.
The range features everything from everyday dresses, to swimwear and gym gear, as well as prom dresses, although hijabs are not included.
Sharing the news on Twitter, Billy who boasts over 115,000 followers on Instagram, revealed their appearance on the fast fashion website is the first time that a woman wearing a hijab has posed for the brand.
Alongside screenshots from the brand, she wrote: ‘Soooo… that’s me. THE FIRST HIJABI ON PLT!!! Still so wild to me’
Billy Marsal (pictured) who boasts over 115,000 followers on Instagram, took to social media to celebrate being one of the first woman wearing a hijab to model for PrettyLittleThing
One image on the website shows Billy (pictured) coordinating a cream head covering with a mustard puff sleeve wrap dress and cream shoes
PrettyLittleThing selected Marlene Marie (pictured) to model a monochrome outfit and a paisley blue dress
Billy’s post on Twitter racked up over 59,000 re-tweets and a flood of comments from people gushing about the brand’s decision to diversify
Billy’s post received a flood of praise from those showing support and impressed with PrettyLittleThing diversifying the types of models they work with.
One person wrote: ‘The fact that you are the first one to model with a hijab and that you actually are a plus size model makes me soooo happy. Be proud of yourself girl because we are’
‘Being a Muslim woman in a space that they aren’t seen in is so enriching and motivating for me to see, because it’s such a fight! You’ll get hate from both sides but the support means so much more. Congratulations,’ another said.
A third added: ‘It’s nice to see an increase in diversity and representation among popular fashion brands.’
Billy (pictured) told her 11,000 Twitter followers that being selected by the British fast fashion brand is still ‘so wild’ to her
Another stylish photo shows Billy (pictured left) teaming a rust colour top with paisley print wide leg trousers, while elsewhere she dons a black jumpsuit (pictured right)
Billy (pictured) looks effortlessly chic in a third photo dressed completely in cream, as she models PLT’s plus duster coat currently on sale for £35
Many responses to the announcement praised PrettyLittleThing for leading the way among other popular fashion brands
Gushing about Billy’s appearance, another wrote: ‘Congratulations. I love this we need to add more diversity in the modelling world. We stan and you look stunning as usual’
PrettyLittleThing’s Modest Clothing Edit is a new section of the UK site, which follows a successful debut in the Middle East.
The brand spoke about their inspiration saying: ‘Following our successful launch into the Middle East we are delighted to be launching our ‘Modest clothing’ collection on site.
‘Our ethos of ‘EveryBODYinPLT is extremely important to us, so it’s been amazing seeing such positive customer feedback and working with models who represent all of our customer base.’
Billy’s (pictured) appearance on the website follows PrettyLittleThing’s successful debut of a Modest Clothing Edit in the Middle East