One of
Australia's most successful international runway models, Ajak Deng,
today announced she has quit modeling because of 'fakes and lies' in the
fashion industry.'
Deng
has modelled for a number of high profile designers including Dior,
Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, Chloe and Jean Paul Gaultier, and
starred in campaigns for Topshop, Barneys, MAC and Levis.
In an Instagram post uploaded early Wednesday morning, Deng said that she was happy to
announce that she was 'officially done with the fashion industry.'
The Melbourne model also said she was 'thankful and grateful for every sweet souls [sic] that I have crossed paths with.'
The 26-year-old also announced that she would be moving back to Australia to live a 'real life'.
'I
will be moving back to Australia In order to live the life that I fully
deserved. Which is real life,' the model wrote. 'I can no longer deal
with the fakes and the lies. My life is too short for this dramatic
life.'
An
hour later Deng posted a photo on Instagram of herself smiling and
looking up to the sky with the caption 'Thank you for your blessings
God.'
Deng came to
Melbourne, Australia, in 2005, after her family fled Sudan as refugees.
Her mother died of malaria in a refugee camp in Kenya whilst they were
waiting to be resettled.
The
model has previously been outspoken about racism she had encountered
both in Australia and overseas. In 2014 she told Elle that she had
experienced racism her 'entire life.'
'I
go back to Melbourne and think I’m going home and someone will say “You
don’t belong here” and I’m like “Well I grew up here. What do you mean I
don’t belong here?' she told the magazine.
In 2014 the
model tweeted about racism in the international fashion industry,
claiming that she was 'kicked out of Balmain for being black.'
Deng
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.
Deng's
manager Stephen Bucknell recently told Melbourne newspaper the Herald
Sun that she had trouble booking modeling work in Australia because the
industry won't spend the 'big dollars' on non-white girls.
'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,'
he said.
Buckell spotted Deng in Melbourne whilst she was still in High School and signed her to FRM Model Management in 2008.
It is not clear if Deng will return to Melbourne or settle elsewhere in Australia.
One of Australia's most successful international runway models, Ajak Deng, today announced she has quit modeling because of 'fakes and lies' in the fashion industry.'Deng has modelled for a number of high profile designers including Dior, Louis Vuitton, Valentino, Marc Jacobs, Chloe and Jean Paul Gaultier, and starred in campaigns for Topshop, Barneys, MAC and Levis.
In an Instagram post uploaded early Wednesday morning, Deng said that she was happy to announce that she was 'officially done with the fashion industry.'The Melbourne model also said she was 'thankful and grateful for every sweet souls [sic] that I have crossed paths with.'The 26-year-old also announced that she would be moving back to Australia to live a 'real life'.'I will be moving back to Australia In order to live the life that I fully deserved. Which is real life,' the model wrote. 'I can no longer deal with the fakes and the lies. My life is too short for this dramatic life.'An hour later Deng posted a photo on Instagram of herself smiling and looking up to the sky with the caption 'Thank you for your blessings God.'Deng came to Melbourne, Australia, in 2005, after her family fled Sudan as refugees. Her mother died of malaria in a refugee camp in Kenya whilst they were waiting to be resettled.The model has previously been outspoken about racism she had encountered both in Australia and overseas. In 2014 she told Elle that she had experienced racism her 'entire life.''I go back to Melbourne and think I’m going home and someone will say “You don’t belong here” and I’m like “Well I grew up here. What do you mean I don’t belong here?' she told the magazine.
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