Today, Ajak Deng, 26, one of Australia’s most successful international runway models who once modelled for high profile designers like Dior, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, Chloe and Jean Paul Gaultier, starred in campaigns for Topshop, Barneys, MAC and Levis, announced she has quit modeling because of fakes and lies in the fashion industry.
In an IG post this morning, Deng said that she was happy to announce that she was ‘officially done with the fashion industry.’ An hour later, Deng posted a photo of herself smiling and looking up to the sky with the caption “Thank you for your blessings God.”
Deng moved to Melbourne, Australia, in 2005, after her family fled Sudan as refugees. Her mother died of malaria in a refugee camp in Kenya. Deng has previously been outspoken about racism. In 2014 she told Elle that she had experienced racism her entire life.
In 2014 she tweeted about racism in the international fashion industry, claiming that she was ‘kicked out of Balmain for being black.’ She followed up with a tweet saying: ‘I know a lot of black models would rather kiss someone’s a** than being honest but guessed what? I do not gaged a damn f*** [sic].’ The tweet, and Deng’s account, were later deleted.
She manager, Stephen Bucknell, recently said Deng had trouble booking modeling work in Australia because the industry won’t spend the big dollars on non-white girls. He said: “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.”….. ds isn’t to discourage d new Nigerian modeling sensation, Olajumoke…..
