Aboriginal-only agency aims to have as many as TEN Indigenous models at next year's Fashion Week... as they launch a nationwide search for the next Samantha Harris
- Aboriginal Model Management Australia has 40 female clients so far
- New national casting call is now looking for both sexes aged up to 60
- Founder is expecting the numbers to take off as interest rapidly grows
- Target, Bonds and Big W are very interested in hiring Aboriginal models
- Kira-Lea Dargin says demand for indigenous models is slowly changing in the high fashion market but should be moving faster
Indigenous Australian models have yet to make a significant impact on the runway but an exclusively Aboriginal modelling agency is in the swing of changing that cultural fashion landscape.
The first name that comes to mind when thinking of Aboriginal models for even the most die-hard of fashionistas is Samantha Harris who was one of the most prominent faces during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia in Sydney this week.
The only other indigenous face to join the 24-year-old stunner at the biggest week on the country's fashion calendar over the past two years is Lauren Feenstra.
On the rise: Adina-lee Vincent is one of the many emerging models signed with Aboriginal Model Management Australia
Gaining ground: The agency started off with just five models and now has 40 including Noreen Carr (pictured)
However, next year's annual global event will mark a significant shift if Aboriginal Model Management Australia founder Kira-Lea Dargin gets her way.
'I expect at least five or 10 to be appearing in next year's fashion week,' she said.
'Realistically I would like to see up to 10 of our girls go through to next year's fashion week - we do have quite a few of them that have the potential,' she said.
What started out as helping out a few modelling mates break into the industry two and half years ago quickly turned into a niche market that Aboriginal models have long been crying out for by the start of last year for the Russian-Aboriginal.
Hot right now: Agency founder Kira-Lea Dargin hopes 10 of her girls will join Samantha Harris at next year's fashion week
In demand: Harris walked in a number of major shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia
Dargin began representing females who had the runway standards in terms of height and size.
'We focused on high fashion calibre models,' she said.
'We started out with five then it became 25 and now we have 40 models.'
Now the agency is about to take on a whole new approach when casting begin for both female and male models aged anywhere up to 60 years old across five capital cities.
The Facebook post for the casting call in Brisbane tomorrow has already attracted more than 350 shares and Dargin has received at least 400 emails with expressions of interest.
'I'm expecting the numbers to go ridiculous especially when we go onto Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth,' she said.
Dargin says the high fashion market is slowly changing its perspective when it comes to indigenous models but she hoped it would move along more quickly (Cheyanne Fuller pictured)
The 26-year-old is finding the mid-market range of big family chain stores such as Bonds, Target and Big W are particularly interested in hiring Aboriginal models for their catalogue campaigns.
'They are a lot more receptive opposed to the high fashion market because it has had a particular look for quite some time,' she said.
'It's a slow process but the perspective is changing - a lot of opportunities are opening but I personally would like to see it happen quicker but there is a lot of caution and a lot of stereotypes linked so you have to face that.'
Dargin, whose father is Aboriginal and mother is Russian, faced discrimination when she started modelling in her teens.
Big family chain stores such as Bonds, Target and Big W are particularly interested in hiring Aboriginal models for their catalogue campaigns (pictured Nyima Mcnamara)
'It was difficult to overcome both personally and professionally,' she said.
'I thought "that's who I am - what's the problem with it?".'
She believes that the reason for casting agents hesitance to hire Aboriginal models was because the concern is the fashion platform could be used for political purposes.
'I think anytime you get involved with anything indigenous there is always that political aspect of what's happening in the community and what's happening across the nation and people assume that will come with it,' she said.
'But it's really important to separate individual events and be able to take it professionally and realise that not everyone slots into specific categories.'
Dargin believes that high-end brands are hesitant to sign Aboriginal models because the concern is the fashion platform could be used for political purposes (pictured Zoe Byrne)
Dargin says with Harris being the most famous Aboriginal face on the catwalk - she would like to see her act as a voice for young aspiring indigenous models.
'She's a very shy girl but I just think that she could come out of her shell a little bit more and be a spokesperson and promote Aboriginality for models in particular and just build a little bit more brand awareness,' she said.
'I think if she spoke up a bit more being in the position that she's in that it would help the next crop of young girls coming through.'
Dargin encourages the models that she represents to embrace who their origins.
'I encourage our girls to be proud of who they are as a person and be proud of who they are in their cultural aspect but not to allow anybody else to target you based on other people's actions.'
Kira-Lea Dargin hopes to have as many as 10 of her girls in next year's Australian Fashion Week
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