What Can You Learn from this South Sudanese Model Winning a Modelling Competition?

South Sudanese model Majda John Peter was crowned the winner of the Elite Model Look of the year event last week. This is known as one of the most prestigious modelling competitions in the world. Her beauty is one that isn't considered the typical standard in the fashion and modelling industry. Although we are seeing more diversity in the industry, we still see that Black models make less than 6% of high fashion runway shows.

I remember applying to be in the Elite Model Look of the year competition when I was a teenager. This was long before social media and digital content. I took photographs and mailed them in with my application. It's one of the most highly competitive contests in modelling (I never was selected to compete). For nearly forty years this event has been instrumental in launching the careers of some of the most successful models in the world. In the days when I used to send in my application, it was typically women who looked like Elle McPherson, Gisele Bündchen, Frederique Van der Wal, and Helena Christensen who competed and either won or placed high in the contest. Blondes and brunettes with European/American ideas of beauty.

Supermodel and Entrepreneur, Iman, was one of the trailblazers for African models. Spotted in Kenya, the Somalian model went on to become one of the most successful Black models in history. An inspiration for future generations, Iman modelled from the mid-1970s up until the mid-1990s. Alek Wek, who is also from South Sudan, is perhaps the first from that country to become supermodel status during the mid-1990s. Her success paved the way for young women like Majda.

After winning the competition, Madja said that she hopes to open an agency one day and to inspire other models from South Sudan.

Why is this an important story? Because it's another example of Black women breaking barriers in the fashion and beauty business. The industry standards are still swayed toward the European standard of beauty, making it challenging when models of other races or ethnic backgrounds try to make a mark for themselves.

It's also an opportunity for those working in these industries to be responsible for helping to open doors for those who are not always given the opportunities. This can be applied to any industry. Not just the fashion and beauty business.

I used to work at a Head Booker at a talent agency for 3 years and during my time I regularly received emails from casting directors in search for actors/models for tv, film and print ad campaigns. They always listed on the breakdown what they wanted by age, height, body type and race. Most castings wanted Caucasian (white) talent. There were times, when I, as the person who sent the headshots and resumes of actors to the casting directors, took it as an opportunity to break barriers.

If I read the casting breakdown and felt someone was good enough to audition for the job, despite not fitting what the casting director listed, I would submit their profile anyway. What's the worst that could happen? They could say no. But they could also say 'yes'. So sometimes I took the chance when a role was one that I thought could be done regardless of someone's race, or even age. If they wanted a 30 year old and there was someone who was 40 and I felt 'looked the part', I would submit. Because, you never know what could happen.

When you're in the position to put someone in front of people who could change their career path, do it. When you believe in that person's capability. Sometimes that's all they need is someone in their corner.

Congratulations to Majda and wishing her dreams come true to inspire others from her home country with dreams of pursuing modelling as a career.

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