Lili Sommer Niqab |work|

Yet, through it all, Sommer did not back down. Instead, she doubled down, releasing a documentary short entitled “Covered: My Year in the Niqab.” In a recent podcast interview (March 2025), Sommer addressed the ongoing controversy directly: “People keep asking if I’m converting to Islam. The answer is no. I’m not converting. I’m not mocking. I’m using a piece of cloth to ask a question: Why are you so afraid of a woman’s face? Why does a man’s right to see my face trump my right to be left alone?” She also clarified that she does not wear the niqab daily—only for specific content and public appearances. “It’s not my identity. It’s my statement,” she said.

typically involves adopting elements of a minority culture without understanding or respecting their original meaning—often for profit. Sommer has undoubtedly profited. Her engagement rates skyrocketed. She launched a “Controversy Collection” T-shirt featuring a cartoon of herself in a niqab with the text “Don’t Look.” lili sommer niqab

Sommer’s video ignited fresh debate. Politicians from the CDU (Christian Democratic Union) called for stricter bans, arguing that if a non-Muslim influencer can wear the niqab as a “joke,” then the garment clearly has no place in German society. Yet, through it all, Sommer did not back down

If you ask her defenders, she is a guerrilla performance artist using her body and her platform to shatter assumptions about clothing, modesty, and freedom. I’m not converting

This article explores the multifaceted controversy: Is Lili Sommer appropriating a religious symbol? Is she making a subversive feminist point? Or is this all an elaborate performance art piece designed to generate clicks? Before the niqab, Lili Sommer was a relatively niche influencer in the German-speaking world. Known for her sharp wit, avant-garde fashion choices, and unapologetic sexuality, she cultivated a following that appreciated her rejection of conventional modesty.

Instagram removed several of her niqab-related posts, citing “community guidelines on religious mockery,” though the company later restored them after an appeal.

Islamic scholars have weighed in, noting that the niqab is not merely a fabric—it is tied to intentions ( niyyah ). If a woman wears it without the intention of obeying God or observing Islamic modesty codes (which also prohibit public flirtation and sexual content), then she is not wearing a niqab at all. She is wearing a costume.