The former adult actor, who defies convention and challenges the current quo, has become fashion's adored troublemaker. In an honest interview, the social media sensation discusses breaking into the inner circle.
Mia Khalifa's reintroduction as a true fashion icon has been a baptism of fire. In the past, headlines have scrutinized her every action, and her Instagram comments section sometimes feel like a fight. However, Khalifa's new rule does not require any more reason than the avalanche of show invitations and brand engagements that have arrived at her door. After leaving the pornographic film profession, she was given a front-row ticket to Paris Fashion Week in 2023, dressed in vintage Jean Paul Gaultier and Schiaparelli.
With a subtle reference to her millions of Instagram and TikTok followers, Khalifa deadpans, "It's mostly the girls and gays." We spoke online about this new phase in her life the day before her very first Vogue shoot, where she dressed herself with items from her own closet. When Khalifa first comes on screen, she is giddy with energy, having had three cortados before midday, and is dressed in pink pajamas that match her bleached eyebrows. She is just Sarah Joe in her cozy house; she is a cat mother who enjoys her mornings and whose living room is filled with relevant, domestic items like a coffee table book collection that includes numerous books on tarot.
When asked how she handles the online trolls, Khalifa responds, "Adversity builds character." I convince myself that things might have been far worse. The majority of it is mental. She quips, "They make beta blockers for the parts that aren't." "I handle it casually. It's not that life gets difficult when things are about to get easier; rather, difficulties arise when things are improving.
Maybe Khalifa did not live up to the level of expectations set by the world. "Girl, how can you hate from outside of the club, you can't even get in," she responds, using Chris Brown's hit song "Look At Me Now," in response to a question concerning the criticism she faced after being selected to walk the KNWLS spring/summer 2024 runway.
From Kim Kardashian, the multi billionaire who rose to fame after a sex tape was released, to Madonna and Dita Von Teese, Khalifa is the most recent example of a woman who hasn't merely refused to follow the script. In addition, they threw it out the window and lit it on fire. Their parallel travels provide an example of how popular opinion is ephemeral.
Elizabeth Wurtzel describes the effects of misunderstood women in the spotlight who have defied social expectations in her feminist manifesto Bitch: In Praise of Difficult Women (1998). Wurtzel claims that the reason society places such a premium on feminine "goodness" is that women telling their own stories pose a challenge to the patriarchy. If you cross that boundary, you can count on a barrage of trolls and headlines scrutinizing your every action. However, this does not mean that supporters of challenging women are unable to stand up for them.
The media's infatuation with Khalifa is mixed with praise and criticism. She is accustomed to handling hate speech, but she is less accustomed to receiving praise. "I was holding out for Charlotte.
Khalifa has been the focus of media attention that is mixed with praise and criticism. She is accustomed to handling hate, but she is less accustomed to receiving praise. "I was waiting for Charlotte to realize that she had actually booked me instead of Mia Goth," the humbly reveals.
The coincidence that Off-White was the theme of Mia Khalifa's debut fashion presentation was fortunate. By moving up through the ranks in an unconventional way, both entities "cheated" the established system. It was only until Virgil Abloh's success was amplified by sheer metrics, several seasons into the game, that his colleagues began to view him as a designer. Additionally, despite the fact that the fashion industry is known for its strict gatekeeping of hierarchy, Khalifa has succeeded in gaining the respect of these gatekeepers by her extreme candor.
As music artists are swallowed by stan accounts, so too have I gathered and hoarded clothes throughout the years. I'm a fan who is deeply involved in the fashion industry. I thus found it strange when I had the chance to be in the same rooms, much less in the front row for performances. Khalifa's quest of personal style began with her belief in the power of retail therapy, as seen by her enormous haul at Off-White, which got her into her first show. She switches up her wardrobe quickly, going from colorful acetate eyeglasses with gothic-inspired corset dresses to cargo pants and oversized button-downs. She wears names like GCDS and Ann Demeulemeester. "I'm dressing up as a character every time I do." I'm capable of
As she fights to build her own legacy, Khalifa now sees her wardrobe choices as an additional weapon. "My desire to fit in and be accepted led me to dress in ways that were rooted in internalized racism and misogyny that's it" Everything that didn't fit me would make me appear like an all-American girl wearing Sperry and Brooks Brothers. Look at her bleached eyebrows—she's discovered her voice by defying convention. I like to seem like an alien rather than a copy-paste Instagram chick, even though they're a little scary and not very pretty.
She also started her jewelry business, SHEYTAN, as a result of feeling more confident.
Khalifa is focused on achieving her goals while her business expands and she continues to rise in the fashion industry. Including, maybe, going to the Met Gala. "Tonight, I'm going to light a candle and begin manifesting that," she chuckles.
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