GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Despite Gazan society’s negative reaction toward fashion models, Reham al-Kahlout, one of the pioneers in this profession, firmly advocates a modeling career to her peers.

Kahlout, a 19-year-old model from Gaza City, started working as a fashion model about a year ago. Despite her reluctance to venture into the field because of the negative social outlook, her family encouraged her to go for it, believing it to be a unique experience.

“When I walk in the streets, I get negative and sometimes abusive comments, but I do not care about that. I have my family’s support,” she told Al-Monitor, adding that one has to have courage, the ability to shrug off negative comments and a supportive family.

Gaza held its first fashion show in April 2016 at a beachfront hotel in the presence of local media outlets. Young women modeled traditional costumes during the show to shed light on Palestinian heritage. And while these young women were criticized on social networking sites, the criticism they received was not too harsh because their costumes were conservative.