Refugee Models From Sudan Share Their Stories: Shanelle Nyasiase, Angok Mayen, George Okeny

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Shanelle Nyasiase on runway Alexander McQueen FW 18 Paris

Model Shanelle Nyasiase walked a dizzying 42-43 shows in the past month, as the Fall 2018 runway shows launched in New York before moving to London, Milan and then Paris, weeks after the launch of her spectacular Alexander McQueen Spring 2018 ad campaign. Seeing the images, I wrote:

Ethiopian-born,  raised in Kenya South Sudanese model Shanelle Nyasiase makes a spectacular, breathtaking arrival on the international fashion scene fronting Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2018 campaign. Jamie Hawkesworth captures the passion colors, full-throttle femininity in gowns styled by Camilla Nickerson. Granted, I am prejudiced given my own design preferences and strong attachment to Kenya, McQueen, nature and passion colors. But this campaign is a sensual feast for our eyes. Unadulterated joy! ~ Anne

AOC is a different kind of fashion website, with my own roots embedded so deeply in activism on behalf of women worldwide, but especially in Africa and very deeply in Sudan and Kenya. 

I was pleasantly surprised today to see 'The Modeling World's Sudanese Refugees Share Their Stories' on Vogue.com, with Shanelle Nyasiase featured, along with peers Angok Mayen and George Okeny. Janelle Okwodu writes:

The glamour associated with modeling often masks its realities. The hundreds of international beauties gracing the runways each season are, at the end of the day, people with issues, concerns, and histories all their own. When you see Nyasiase walk out at Valentino, all you think about is how well she carries off Pierpaolo Piccioli’s flights of fancy; Okeny, tall and elegantly handsome, simply projects cool at Eckhaus Latta’s eclectic show. Their love for their work is evident in the final product, but they face difficulties unique to their status as refugees: missing out on key bookings due to green card issues, facing discrimination and suspicion when attempting to travel, and hiding their careers from the most important people in their lives.

Africa's refugees are populating the pages of AOC, coming from the US, but also Australia and European countries. I like the candor of this Vogue video and am happy to see the content evolutions in the magazine. Listening to George Okeny talk about missing a Gucci ad shoot right after Trump's inauguration -- because he was caught up in the first wave of the president's immigration travel ban -- hit home. Take a listen. Oh, George says his papers are now in order, so if you know anyone at Gucci . . . That would be Alessandro Michele.