Gigi Hadid has thrown her support behind Somali model Halima Aden after she spoke out about her regrets of not wearing a Hijab in fashion shoots.

The 23-year-old fashion model took to her Instagram Stories this week to reflect on the various shoots she has done over the years, including her 2017 Arabia cover, and admitted she "made mistakes" when it came to representation of the head covering worn by Muslim women.

Alongside the cover, she wrote: “This wasn’t ‘representation’, this was mockery. I was too young and naive to see it back then."

She said: “Thanks to Covid-19 and the break away from the industry, I have finally realised where I went wrong in my personal hijab journey."

Halima admitted she wished she'd always worn her black Hijab like she did for her first campaign for Rihanna's Fenty Beauty.

She wrote: “I wish I never stopped bringing my black hijab to set. Because the minute I got comfortable … well, let’s just say I got too carried away."

And on her American Eagle Outfitters campaign where she had a pair of jeans on her head, she added: “As if we ever needed these brands to represent hijabis. They need us. Never the other way around. But I was so desperate back then for any 'representation' that I lost touch with who I was."

And following the post, supermodel Gigi - whose mother, Yolanda Hadid, is Dutch and father, Mohamed Hadid, is Palestinian - has said she is "proud" of her friend for speaking out on her regrets in order to "get back on track with what feels genuine".

The 25-year-old beauty wrote on her Instagram Stories: "Everyone should go check out @Halima's story right now.

“It is so important, as a hijabi or not, to self reflect and get back on track with what feels genuine to us - It's the only way to feel truly fulfilled.

“I learnt through therapy once that if we are assertive with our boundaries, it does not mean that we are ungrateful for opportunity, and it will lead to an end result that does not feel hollow, one where we do not feel take advantaged of.

"Learning that helped me so much.

"My sis Halima, you have inspired me since the day I met you and you continue to make me proud.

"Keep shining, big love. (sic)"