One of Australia’s biggest model exports; Ajak Deng is returning to the fashion industry fighting, less than a week after announcing her retirement.
Fleeing Sudan and coming to Australia as a refugee in 2005, 26-year-old Deng has modelled for countless high fashion brands including Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier and Chloe.
Deng confirmed her retirement in an Instagram post on her personal account last week:
“I am officially done with the fashion industry. I can no longer deal with the fakes and the lies. My life is too short for this dramatic life.”
Posting a new message on her Instagram account, Deng retracted her previous comments and confirmed that her decision to retire is related to racism.
“I thought giving up was easier but I am going to stay and fight this war with kindness, forgiveness, love and support to all humanity” – Deng (Daily mail)
Deng has openly faced issues of racism in the modelling industry both in Australia and internationally. The dark-skinned model stated to Elle in 2014 that she has experienced racism her “entire life”. She has been particularly vocal about discrimination from top designers, claiming to be “kicked out” of a Balmain show for being black.
Racism in modelling is a big issue in Australia with big agencies and designers still hesitant about booking black models.
‘They’ll book the big Caucasian girls, spend the big dollars, and fly them in from LA, but I’m yet to see them book a dark skinned girl in that way” – Deng’s manager Stephen Bucknell (Herald Sun)
Deng reflected in her post on the racism she experienced at the beginning of her career, vowing to change the minds of the designers who wouldn’t book her because of the colour of her skin. Upon hearing of Deng’s retirement, fellow model and friend, Nykhor Paul, has spoken out about the effects of racism in the modelling industry.
“Whitewashing doesn’t just have an effect on people of colour. It has an affect on society — how we look at things, how we see things. If we all become inclusive, we start seeing things in a different way, and it’s actually a better feeling. If you can see colour, then you start to believe in colour.” – Nykhor Paul
Deng returning back to modelling, fists fighting must come as a pleasant surprise to her legions of fans and designers alike. To see more about Australia’s top international models check out FIB’s Top Model’s Vol-60.