It’s Melbourne Fashion Week (MFW), and models from overseas and all over the country have converged on Australia’s fashion capital – Melbourne.
One new face on the scene is Boni Bayn, who lived in South Sudan for most of his childhood, then Egypt for a few years, before arriving in Ballarat , Victoria.
21-year-old Boni Bayn. Source: Supplied
It’s an unorthodox journey for a model – but after moving to Melbourne at the beginning of the year to start his modelling career, he has already found success, and has been cast as the face of Fashion Week.
“I didn’t expect to be a model so quickly. It’s been really good, everyone is very welcoming,” he said.
“In the castings, I’ve been to, I’ve gotten almost every job. I’ve been seeing a lot of faces, from a mix of cultures.”
This year, MFW organisers are focusing on diversity – something that was not always the case.
Many Australian models from culturally diverse backgrounds have found success overseas – Sudanese-Australian model Adut Akech recently was chosen for the prestigious role of closing a Chanel runway.
But many of these models have found the Australian market difficult to crack – and even those who have made a name for themselves in the fashion capitals of Milan, Paris, and New York, have struggled to find work in their home country.
“What everyone saw as the Australian norm was the blonde, beachy girl, and we exported that idea of beauty,” Vogue editor-in-chief Edwina McCann told SBS News.
“Australia is the most successful multicultural society on earth, and we should be reflecting that. To be frank, I think we’ve been a bit slow off the mark.”
Vogue editor-in-chief Edwina McCann says the magazine hopes to celebrate diversity. Source: Supplied
But times are changing, and fashion is becoming increasingly diverse.
“I feel like a lot of people are getting around Indigenous culture, and there are Indigenous models out there, and TV representatives,” model Kylah Day said.
The recent Runway Diversity Report indicated that although there is still room more improvement, this year’s shows in Paris, Milan, and New York, have been the most multicultural ever.
20-year-old model Kylah Day says many fellow Indigenous models are finding success in fashion. Source: Supplied
“We’ve taken that conscious step forward, and it’s changed the way we think. I think we’ll look back on this, and think, I can’t believe it wasn’t always this way,” Ms McCann said.
While international mastheads like Vogue are certainly influential in shaping the industry, designer and small business owner Suzan Dlouhy believes there is a role for smaller players to add to the narrative.
“When I was growing up, I didn’t feel reflected in the fashion I saw. For me, now as an adult, I’m trying to reflect that back to the next generation,” she said.
“It’s a ground-up change. When small labels like myself start casting diverse models, and it gets press, that’s when the more mainstream brands realise they can do it too.”
A male model at MFW. Source: SBS News
While the Australian fashion industry might have been slow to acknowledge and reflect multiculturalism, MFW stylist and model casting panellist said the industry has finally “recognised the need for change.”
“It’s sad but it’s taken this long, but it’s a very welcome change, and it was very evident at the casting this year. We had a huge cross-section of ages, cultural backgrounds, skin colour, and body shapes,” she said.
“It is sad that we do take our lead from overseas, but now we are starting to embrace diversity and different cultures, as a flow on from the overseas market.”
For up-and-coming models, it’s an exciting time to be in the industry – making it more encouraging than ever to dream big.
“I want to be walking for Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, and brands like that,” Mr Bayn said.
