Adut Akech Wins 'Model of the Year 2019' at British Fashion Awards in London

Adut Akech winning Model of the Year, getting a big hug from Naomi Campbell at Monday night’s British Fashion Awards 2019. © Darren Gerrish via British Vogue

In the words of British Vogue, “Adut Akech brought down the house”, winning Model Of The Year at Monday night’s British Fashion Awards celebration in London. Adut wore a voluminous Valentino gown that featured a ruffled midriff and a thigh-high split. Of course Adut used her speech to highlight the need for the fashion industry to continue its high-gear march towards far greater diversity.

The South Sudanese model is at the vanguard among the huge wave of creatives of color across the fashion industry, a trend that impacts photographers, stylists and countless other categories of vibrant talent virtually ignored by fashion industry leaders.

Adut Akech also brought her voice and status as a refugee born in then Sudan, now South Sudan, whose family migrated to Adelaide, Australia in an effort to remake their lives.

“It is important for all of us to remember that someone like me winning this award is a rarity,” she pointed out after expressing her gratitude for the statuette. “This is for the young women and men who found representation and validation in my work. I want them to never be afraid of dreaming big like I once did. To them, I say this: Whatever it is you want to do, whether it’s modelling or acting or medicine, you should never doubt yourself. Don’t let the world convince you that it is not possible.”

Akech appeared on the prestigious September 2019 covers of British Vogue, Vogue Germany and Vogue Japan. The British Vogue issue was guest edited by Her Royal Highness Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and featured women who are ‘Voices of Change’.

At a time when ‘refugee models’ are making their marks across the fashion and luxury market industry, Adut stands high on the list of beautiful young women enjoying their own mercurial success in an industry that has long shunned them.

The Aussie beauty’s activism and seizure of every limelight moment to discuss issues that matter to her is unrelenting, and in her own words: “I Will Always Be a Refugee”. As the model reminded us in her article ‘Refugees Are Just Like Everybody Else’ for British Vogue’s September 2019 issue:

“You don’t wake up thinking, I’m going to be a refugee. The only difference between a refugee and someone who grew up in the Western world is that we were forced out of our own country, out of our homes, because of fear – not out of choice.”

TIME Magazine honored Adut Akech on their 2019 TIME 100 Next list. Follow Adut Akech’s archives @ AOC.

Adut Akech’s September 2019 Vogue Covers

Ghana’s Copyright Law for Folklore Hampers Cultural Growth

Ghana’s Copyright Law for Folklore Hampers Cultural Growth

Ghana has a rich folkloric tradition that includes Adinkra symbols, Kente cloth, traditional festivals, music and storytelling. Perhaps one of Ghana’s best known folk characters is Ananse, the spider god and trickster, after whom the Ghanaian storytelling tradition Anansesem is named.

Ghana also has some of the world’s most restrictive laws on the use of its folklore. The country’s 2005 Copyright Act defines folklore as “the literary, artistic and scientific expressions belonging to the cultural heritage of Ghana which are created, preserved and developed by ethnic communities of Ghana or by an unidentified Ghanaian author”.

This suggests that the legislation, which is an update of a 1985 law, applies equally to traditional works where the author is unknown and new works derived from folklore where the author is known.

The rights in these works are “vested in the President on behalf of and in trust for the people of the republic”. These rights are also deemed to exist in perpetuity. This means that works which qualify as folkloric will never fall into the public domain – and will never be free to use.

The 1985 Act only restricted use of Ghana’s folklore by foreigners. The 2005 Act extended this to Ghanaian nationals. In principle, this means that a Ghanaian artist wishing to use Ananse stories, or a musician who wants to rework old folk songs or musical rhythms must first seek approval from the National Folklore Board and pay an undisclosed fee.

This is deeply problematic.

Smithsonian Acquires Tyler Mitchell's Beyoncé Portrait for Vogue US September 2018

Smithsonian Acquires Tyler Mitchell's Beyoncé Portrait for Vogue US September 2018 AOC Style Photos

Photographer Tyler Mitchell shares a spectacular piece of news about an image from his September 2018 Beyoncé cover editorial. In an embarrassing acknowledgement of racism in the fashion industry, Mitchell became the first African American photographer to shoot the cover of Vogue in its 125-year history.

Clearly, positive energy infused Mitchell’s editorial from every direction, so much so that one of his Vogue images has been acquired into the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection in Washington, D.C.

The selected photo sees Beyoncé on location just outside of London, wearing a sequin-covered Valentino dress and exuberant Philip Treacy London headpiece.

“A year ago today we broke the flood gates open,” Mitchell wrote of the news on Instagram. “Since then, it was important to spend the whole year running through them making sure every piece of the gate was knocked down.”

As a concerned photographer, who is socially and politically engaged, Mitchell sees the Beyoncé shoot as an empowerment opportunity

“We’ve been thingified physically, sexually, emotionally. With my work I’m looking to revitalize and elevate the black body.”

We share the entire editorial in celebration of Mitchell’s growing success, Queen Bey herself, and the New Day society global citizens desire.

Rihanna Talks Being First Black Woman In Charge Of Major Luxury Fashion House For T Magazine June 2019

Rihanna Talks Being First Black Woman In Charge Of Major Luxury Fashion House For T Magazine June 2019

The New York Times T Magazine June 2019 previewed Rihanna’s now open FENTY Collection, produced with her business partner LVMH. Key FENTY looks are styled here by Suzanne Koller for images by Kristin-Lee Moolman. / Hair by Yusef Williams; makeup by Lauren Parsons

In this next act of Rihanna’s journey, the pop star becomes the first black woman in charge of a major luxury fashion house in Paris.

Rihanna is interviewed by Jeremy O. Harris, an American actor and playwright, known for his plays ‘Daddy’ and ‘Slave Play’. This is no ordinary, glossy interview. Harris writes:

“For three years, I have been a diligent student of Rihanna’s 2016 song “Work.” The first lesson it taught me was in the fine art of ubiquity: The omnipresent earworm hovered over casual intimacies, significant encounters, mundane journeys and made sense of itself wherever, in whatever crevices it chose. Then “Work” found its way into my own work. In my script for “Slave Play,” which debuted at New York Theater Workshop in 2018, the protagonist Kaneisha suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and Rihanna’s “Work” plays in her head on repeat, taking on a frighteningly oppressive quality and revealing the historic bedrock I was attempting to excavate: namely, that black people, specifically women, must live with the knowledge that their emotional and physical labor is the backbone of every relationship that they endeavor to have with their partners, with America. The song, which weaves through the dialogue, brought more attention to the play than any other device could have. “

Debra Shaw + Mowalola Ogunlesi Talk Blackness In Fashion Industry For Dazed Magazine SS2019

Debra Shaw wears Mowalolo Ogunlesi in images by Campbell Addy for Dazed Magazine SS2019

Debra Shaw + Mowalola Ogunlesi Talk Blackness In Fashion Industry For Dazed Magazine SS2019 AOC Style Photos AOC Fashion Photos

Model icon Debra Shaw is styled by Emma Wyman in ‘Debra Shaw: Deliverance, lensed by Campbell Addy for Dazed Magazine Spring/Summer 2019. / Hair by Tomohiro Ohashi; makeup by Ammy Drammeh

Shaw wears designs by British-Nigerian breakout designer Mowalola Ogunlesi, who also conducts the interview.

Philadelphia-born, New Jersey-raised Shaw reflects on her Alexander McQueen AW96 Dante show walk, where she stuck out her tongue directly to the audience. Shaw was wearing a gothic mask emblazoned with a crucifix. Her Spring 1997 McQueen appearance was even more memorable.

EYE: Gucci Denies Black Community Boycott Is Slowing Sales | Leigh Bowery Inspired Sweater

EYE: Gucci Denies Black Community Boycott Is Slowing Sales | Leigh Bowery Inspired Sweater

Kering's chief financial officer Jean-Marc Duplaix rejected the notion that the blackface scandal played a determining role in Gucci's recent sales slowdown. Per ‘Business of Fashion’, "He dismissed the idea that backlash against a balaclava sweater widely criticized for resembling blackface had hurt sales."

Still — when growth slows some and the word ‘boycott’ is being called for by Oscar-winning director Spike Lee — a smart person takes the situation very seriously. 50 Cent immediately posted a video of himself burning his Gucci clothing, and Soulja Boy covered up the forehead tattoo that was once an ode to the brand, writes Complex.

"Gucci's done," Soulja said before being asked if he planned to ditch his collection of Gucci pieces. "Nah, we ain't gon' return it...I'll just give it to charity."

IMAN Talks Models Of Color In Fashion With Porter Edit Oct. 26, 2018: We've Come A Long Way, Baby

IMAN Talks Models Of Color In Fashion With Porter Edit Oct. 26, 2018: We've Come A Long Way, Baby

Porter Edit’s October 26 2018 issue turns its focus on supermodel, makeup entrepreneur, humanitarian and champion of black women’s rights: IMAN. Tracy Taylor styles the fashion icon in trench coats and utilitarian suitings from Michael Kors, Victoria Beckham, Joseph, Chloe and more for images by Hanna Tveite.

Jane Mulkerrings conducts the interview that touches on many topics from IMAN’s discovery by legendary photographer Peter Beard to her constant grief over the loss of her husband David Bowie.

It’s her focus on the fashion industry and her own activism on behalf of models of color that demands our focus, educating even me on the activism of IMAN, Bethann Hardison and Naomi Campbell’s launching of a campaign in September 2013 to force a reckoning over the dearth of models of color on the catwalk.

At AOC we see this pace of a primary place for models of color in the fashion industry escalating dramatically in 2017-2018. IMAN is totally correct is affirming that the changes are not only visible but blindingly so. It’s dazzling, frankly. Nobody gets a gold star for taking what was the right path all along. Nevertheless, the changes are breathtaking and a moment of joy for me personally as a citizen of Trumplandia.

AOC Women of Color Model Archives

Anok Yai Becomes Estée Lauder Spokesmodel, Anchoring Her Meteoric Model Rise

Anok Yai Becomes Estée Lauder Spokesmodel, Anchoring Her Meteoric Model Rise

Estée Lauder has announced that it has signed Anok Yai, fashion’s newest star, as its latest Global Spokesmodel. Anok will feature in makeup and skincare campaigns across digital, TV, in-store and print. Anok’s first campaign will be for the brand’s number one foundation, Double Wear Stay-in-Place Makeup, debuting August. She joins the current roster of Estée Lauder spokesmodels, Misty Copeland, Grace Elizabeth, Kendall Jenner, Karlie Kloss, Yang Mi, Carolyn Murphy, Hilary Rhoda, Joan Smalls and Fei Fei Sun.

“We are thrilled to welcome Anok to the brand,” said Stephane de La Faverie, Global Brand President, Estée Lauder. “Estée Lauder has always chosen women who represent our vision of global beauty. With the addition of Anok to our current lineup of diverse spokesmodels, we continue the brand’s legacy of celebrating women from different backgrounds, ethnicities and ages.”

Eye: Carine Roitfeld & Halima Aden Talk Modesty, Provocation & The New Nike Pro Hijab

Eye: Carine Roitfeld & Halima Aden Talk Modesty, Provocation & The New Nike Pro Hijab

Carine Roitfeld joined model Halima Aden for a conversation about modest dressing at the Business of Fashion's annual Voices conference last week.

Aden was born in a Kenyan refugee camp and later naturalized as an American when her family moved to St. Cloud, Minnesota when she was seven years old. Aden first made headlines as a teen when she became her American town's first Muslim homecoming queen. After competing in the state's Miss USA pageant in 2016, she caught Carine's eye, and, a year later—at 19 years of age— Halima Aden covered CR Fashion Book Issue 10. Equally exciting, Halima was interviewed by her life-inspiring role model Imam. 

Halima Aden aspires to be a UN Goodwill Ambassador. Until then, listen to Carine Roitfeld, Halima Aden and Tim Blanks discuss modesty at the BofF VOICES 2017 conference.