Macheene Fashion - Lead The Trend

go back

A Masterclass in Sex Appeal: Mia Khalifa Merges Style and Sex Positivity

info@hypebae.com (Hypebae) Wed, 27 Mar 2024 Hypebae

With over 27 million followers and fashion week appearances that even your fav couldn’t get a seat to, Mia Khalifa is undoubtedly becoming fashion’s favorite It girl. From dominating adult entertainment discussions – despite only performing for three months – to foraying into fashion with a sex-positive allure, Khalifa is on her way to becoming a household name.

In a world where sex work, especially porn, is so highly consumed, you would think a woman like Khalifa would constantly be receiving her flowers. I mean, the looks are to die for, and she’s slowly becoming the muse – cue her fronting Marc Jacobs' Heaven campaign and closing KNWLS SS24 runway presentation. As she said, "My bag, shoe and archival collection would gag a lot of you in your tracks I'm not going to lie... no stylist, just a first dibs account and a dream."
Mia Khalifa

But take a look at any of her comment sections, and I guarantee there’s a slew of misogynistic men eager to "humble" her for being hot and in style. Literally every time we post her, we have to dish out content moderation time to drag misogynistic f-cks. The worst part is that there’s no denying the hatred stems from every incels inner conflict: the desire for her – a woman society tells them they should jack off to and never respect – and the reality that she’ll never want them.

All the while, Khalifa dominates style discussions and continues to build a sex-positive empire. From private YSL and Off-White™ fittings to custom looks and closing shows, she’s given the girls so much inspo that she’s dominating mood boards. So much so, her name has become a click-bait tactic for publications worldwide -- and this is something we see often. People shame those in the sex work industry, but pull inspiration of course, without giving women like Khalifa their flowers. Unfortunately, shame is ingrained in every layer of our experience as women, because well... the patriarchy makes it its point to do so. Because of this, Khalifa donning high fashion at shows these hoes can’t even get into, gives self-hating women enough fuel to disparage her online.

Mia Khalifa

As a former sex worker myself, Khalifa’s journey from adult entertainment to now, is inspiring to say the least. Despite what the world has to say, she continues to honor the spicier parts of herself – she just knows not to do it amongst those who disparage her. In an interview with El Pais she spoke on why she has an OnlyFans, despite no longer wanting to associate with porn. "I do things my own way on there, there’s no nudity, I don’t do what people expect when they get on there. I post fun, beautiful pictures that make me feel empowered… It also makes me feel powerful to block people who say rude things to me,” she added. "It’s a wonderful feeling to be able to say no" or "Fuck off."

This quote is powerful because she’s not shaming sex work now that she's left the industry, as this can leave women in the industry feeling further ostracized and ashamed. Or, as if they can only succeed by ditching a piece of themselves. She keeps it real without disparaging the industry and says that porn simply wasn't empowering for her. "I also don’t say the thing about not doing nudity on OnlyFans in a pretentious way or to be better than others. Sometimes I don’t like to say it, actually, because I feel like some people might interpret that I’m saying I’m better than those who do, and it’s not that at all.” So instead, she’s created a community where she can safely and creatively express her sensual nature and make a bag off of it. Now that, is how you honor yourself.

"My bag, shoe and archival collection would gag a lot of you in your tracks"

Now, Khalifa praises her sex-positive edge by bringing her sex appeal to highly-acclaimed deals. As of 2023, she's starring in a new campaign almost every week while running her jewelry brand, Sheytan. "The brand is for the girl who wears lingerie just for her," she told us at the time of its launch. "It’s the girl who wears perfume, even when she’s home alone. It makes you feel sexy and makes you feel more powerful."

From front row sightings to humanitarian efforts like collaborating with Aries on funding for Gaza – she’s serving a masterclass in sex appeal, while also being for the people.
Mia Khalifa

A Seat at the Table:

Most importantly, Khalifa's It girl era opens the door for countless fashion-obsessed-sex-workers. We've dominated your Pinterest boards for years, from the obsession with clear, six-inch heels to the recent resurgence of the stripper body stocking that became an influencer fav. As a former sex worker in the fashion world, it's difficult to ignore the truth that we rarely receive our flowers. Even when representation does occur, its often in a negative light highlighting injustices or stigmas -- hi Meta!

As shared in our Servin’ Sex episode with former stripper, Yaris Sanchez, our pasts can be riddled with shame. But radical self-acceptance and authenticity are true examples of sex-positivity and the best legacy you can leave for the next generation of girls.

From being dressed by the chic-est fashion houses to launching Sheytan, Mia Khalifa is living proof that the stigma of sex work doesn't have to be as debilitating as the world tries to make you think.

To Mia: You're that girl. You're the inspo. And we can't wait to see what you accomplish next.

Keep scrolling for our favorite moments from Khalifa that merge style and sex-positivity.