Ajak Deng: ‘There is so much discrimination and racism in my world’
Aussie model Ajak Deng is happy to be back after quitting the industry in 2016, but while she says she still deals with racism and discrimination in some sectors of the industry, models are treated much better in Australia.
Confidential
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Sudanese-Australian model Ajak Deng quit modelling in 2016, claiming the industry was full of lies and fakes.
She was lured back by diehard fans but three years on claims not much has changed when it comes to diversity and honesty in the global modelling industry — although she remains focused on helping bring it about.
Deng, who has worked for the likes of Barneys New York, Gap, Marc Jacobs, Kenzo and Kate Spade and walked for Valentino, Jean Paul Gaultier, Louis Vuitton and Lanvin,
said that while she is happy to be back, in her experience some sectors of the industry still have a long way to go.
“Honestly, I did not think I would be coming back, but I saw how many young women I have inspired from around the world,” Deng, who has just fronted Aje’s Resort 20 campaign, said.
“I decided to use the industry to my advantage and get as many opportunities as I can out of it and while things really haven’t changed much, I can see a bit of progress.”
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While Deng claims Australian brands and agents are better than their international counterparts, she believes racism is still prevalent all around the world, and not just in the modelling industry.
“There is so much discrimination and racism in my world,” she said.
“But I have to say we get treated much better in Australia. They know how to treat models here. The people behind Australian brands are so much more gentle.”
Two of the “gentle” designers she is referring to are Aje’s Adrian Norris and Edwina Forest, who enlisted Deng to front their most recent campaign.
“I am so incredibly in love with their clothes and the Aje team is just so lovely,” she said.
“Their brand is sexy but always sophisticated and elegant.”