When Büsra Sayed stepped onto the Miss Germany stage in March wearing a hijab from her own collection, she did more than showcase a garment — she put diversity and inclusion front and center. The 27-year-old entrepreneur, who designs and sells hijabs, reached the pageant final at a competition that now emphasizes achievement and empowerment as much as appearance.
Her appearance attracted wide media attention: Sayed was one of two finalists who wore a Muslim headscarf, a first in the contest’s history. The moment quickly moved from entertainment pages to the political floor of the Bundestag. During an International Women’s Day speech, AfD politician Beatrix von Storch denounced the hijab and labeled Sayed an “Islamic activist,” calling the participation of a woman wearing a hijab in the finals alarming.
Sayed’s response was to use humor and openness rather than anger. On Instagram and TikTok she posted a short clip of von Storch’s remarks with a tongue-in-cheek comment that the AfD politician had just done promotional work for her brand — and joked that von Storch had forgotten to mention the discount code “AfD10” for 10% off hijabs. The clip went viral: it has racked up millions of views and generated a wave of solidarity.
Orders poured in from people across Germany, including many who aren’t Muslim. Sayed received messages and purchases from non-Muslim women and even Christian pastors who bought hijabs in solidarity. One color she added on impulse, nicknamed the “AfD Blue” hijab, nearly sold out.
Sayed says the social media attention was not meant to be a sales stunt but a platform to push back against discrimination and to make diversity visible. “I want a Miss Germany where every woman feels she belongs — even with a hijab,” she told reporters. The response has grown her community to more than 160,000 followers and amplified her message about inclusion.
Not all feedback has been positive. Sayed still encounters hate and threats, mainly from AfD supporters, and stresses that while she tries to counter hostility with kindness, she reports violent threats to the police. She has learned over the years to transform earlier shock and paralysis into resilience and strategic responses.
Invited by SPD Bundestag member Rasha Nasr, Sayed later visited the parliament herself — another moment she documented and shared. Looking back, she says the episode has given her and many others hope: it revealed how many people are willing to speak up and stand together. “We need more solidarity,” she says. “We have to be visible and fight together against the right.”
The story began in German and quickly became a wider conversation about representation, the power of a clever response, and the ways public attention can be redirected from insult to support.