The 25-year-old Muslim model, Aikol Alikzhanova, was crowned Miss Kyrgyzstan in 2014. She was known for her beauty and long hair, two years after her winning the national beauty pageant she has opted to cover her hair with a hijab.
Three weeks ago, Aikol declared to her over 200k Instagram followers that her decision to wear the hijab is a permanent one. She denounced people who disliked her decision to start covering herself, she expressed "you should not care about my life, you have your own. I'm not your enemy, on the contrary, I am a friend and sister of all Muslims of the world! All of you (who is a Muslim) sin condemning us, and I ask Allah to forgive you of your sins!"
Aikol's ambitions included becoming an actress but she affirms that she will only take on roles which are appropriate to her lifestyle.
Following her new look, she has promised to start a clothing company making fashionable clothing for Muslim women.