Hijab-wearing make-up artist Salwa Rahman tapped by Pharrell Williams and Adidas for new campaign

As football tops get a revamp, a bold new talent appears in the campaign

Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas

Showing that both the hijab and Muslim women are becoming more mainstream in sports, Adidas has just tapped up British-Bangladeshi make-up artist Salwa Rahman for its latest campaign.

Already known for her fearless use of colour and pushing the beauty boundaries, Rahman is something of a wild card in the beauty world, preferring to walk her own path, rather than follow someone else’s. This bold attitude made her a perfect pick for Adidas and its new partnership with Pharrell Williams.

Salwa Rahman in the new Adidas campaign. Courtesy Adidas

The partnership sees Williams and his company Human Race reimagine famous retro football shirt designs and deconstruct them into something less formal. Using tie-dye and paint, the ensuing new designs remain faithful to the colours and patters of the originals, but with a softer, more approachable air.

Of the project, Human Race declared the new designs to be “iconic, creative, imperfect, human. The [club] jersey, redesigned by hand for the human race.”

Created for five of the biggest clubs in the world, Arsenal, FC Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus, the pieces have now launched, and for the campaign Adidas decided that bold new voices were needed. Cue Rahman.

Hailing from mixed British-Bangladeshi heritage, the make-up artist's past works have seen her create entire landscapes across her own face. For this project, she is seen wearing a vibrant yellow and blue tie dyed top, that she has matched with spray painted make-up, and finished with a red hijab. Swirls of colour run across her eyelids and cheekbones, and her inner eye is marked with roundels of blue.

“To me, creativity has the capacity to ground and uplift oneself and the community," she said of the project. "Football jerseys are not just for football players and football is a game for everyone. When I work with make-up, I’m able to express myself, as a human being. To me, this jersey is a reminder that colour unifies and will always spark inspiration.”

Her creative spin on make-up has also seen Rahman collaborate with the likes of Glossier, Champion and Nike in the past.