Much has been said about the modern day It girl. Shorthand for an ineffable aura — one that embodies the cultural zeitgeist and reflects it back to us in sartorial flare and memeable moments — lately it’s become a bit of a misnomer. Probably because the elusive archetype is so hard to articulate. Yet like most things that are impossible to put into words, such as love or a Hans Zimmer score, it’s easy to feel. You’re just drawn to them. Irresistibly so.
Within five minutes of meeting Mia Khalifa, I get why the fashion world is so hypnotised by her. You just want to be her best friend. She has more than 27 million followers on Instagram and is one of the world’s top TikTok creators, but this isn’t a numbers game. She’s just got it. Not just influence but substance. As she swans around the north London set house for her ES Magazine cover shoot, everybody can feel it. Wherever she goes a trail of light, laughter and — most importantly — fashion follows.
