(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
The lack of diversity in Australia's modelling industry has been a topic of debate for many years.
But a new magazine is hoping to change the way women from diverse backgrounds are represented in the media.
Santilla Chingaipe has the details.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
Sasha Sarago identifies herself as Indigenous and African American.
She started modelling at a young age.
But Ms Sarago quit the industry a few years ago because of what she says was the lack of opportunities for models from backgrounds like hers.
"When you look at the Australian fashion industry, there's a breakdown of 1100 models. With that breakdown, there's 16 Chinese models and 7 Indigenous (models). Now that's very minimal to say the least."
South Sudanese Australian Ajak Deng is a top international model.
She says although she is highly sought after overseas, she struggles to find work back in Australia.
"No to be honest, it's kind of heartbreaking, when I come home and I don't even have two pages of an editorial (magazine shoot), and I don't even have a catalogue to shoot - nothing. It's like I don't exist here whatsoever."
Zimbabwean-born model Faro Masudza says some casting agents have an idea of what kind of model they want - based on skin colour - within a particular race - making it even more difficult to find work.
"The issue of colourism, where if you are fairer skinned you're highly most likely to get the job because you fit the description of being light in complexion. And then when it comes to being dark, you have to be really dark - as in Sudanese dark. And so I'm a mix of Sudanese and a fairer skinned girl."
Critics say the lack of diversity in fashion isn't only on the runway.
The Australian magazine industry is estimated to be worth nearly $900 million a year, with six magazines reportedly being sold every second.
And a new magazine is hoping to cash in on that.
It's being touted as Australia's first ever magazine for Indigenous, migrant and refugee women.
Founder Sasha Sarago says many women don't feel represented by the industry.
"At the moment a lot of women feel invisible because they don't have that representation back. It's about feeling connected and having an identity that they can flourish in. // When you don't have the representation, you're forced to look at certain imagery and identify, with things that don't represent you. So it's really about bringing the power back to the woman and speaking the truth and embracing who they are as a person as well as their cultural identity."
Jirra Lulla Harvey is one of the contributors to Ascension Magazine.
"I think it's important for us as Aboriginal women to have a safe space, to have meaningful conversation. It's incredibly important for our young women in terms of safe esteem, positive role modelling. So much discussion about Aboriginality is kind of based on rhetoric of disadvantage and while we do need to talk about the inequalities in this country, it's equally as important that our young ones have media content that inspires them and it's important for wider Australia to start being exposed to the complexities of our contemporary identity as Aboriginal women and to be welcomed into that discussion through a magazine that's engaging and visually exciting."
And it's not just women that feel left out.
Jake Gordon is one of a Indigenous male models in the country.
Although he concedes that Australia has a way to go in its representation of diversity, he says there is progress being made.
"We need to really understand that Australia is quite a small place. The average girl going to the store is going to buy Cleo, she's going to buy Vogue, because that's the magazine she knows. That's the magazine she's grown up with."
Sasha Sarago agrees.
"It makes me feel really proud that Australian society is moving forward, about going we are rich and diverse and we're very unique as a nation and we need to start celebrating that."
Ascension Magazine is expected to hit digital newstands later this month.
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