Ajak Deng | |
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Born | |
Modeling information | |
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) |
Hair color | Black |
Eye color | Brown |
Agency |
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Ajak Deng (born 7 December 1989) is a South Sudanese-Australian model.
Deng was born in what is now known as South Sudan. Her family became refugees in Kenya before moving to Melbourne, Australia in 2005 due to the civil war in South Sudan. [2] At the age of 11, the Australian government accepted her after her mother died of malaria. She has 7 siblings. [3]
Her first international modeling jobs included an advertisement for United Colors of Benetton and fashion shows for Valentino, Lanvin, Givenchy, Chloé, Maison Martin Margiela, Dior, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Oscar de la Renta, Alexander Wang, and Marc by Marc Jacobs. [4] [5] She has also modeled for Calvin Klein, Levi’s, Louis Vuitton, Gap, Inc., Nine West, Kate Spade, MAC Cosmetics, Kenzo, Topshop, Rick Owens, Thom Browne, Jason Wu, Hermès, Belstaff, Emilio Pucci, Sally Hansen, Thakoon, and Valentino. [6] [7]
Deng briefly quit modeling in 2016. [8] She auditioned for the role of a Bond girl but was told she was "too pretty" for it. [9] Since 2018, she has been one of the faces of Fenty Beauty. [10]
Alek Wek is a South Sudanese-British model and designer who began her fashion career at the age of 18 in 1995. She has been hailed for her influence on the perception of beauty in the fashion industry. She is from the Dinka ethnic group in South Sudan, but fled to Britain in 1991 to escape the civil war in Sudan. In 2015, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women.
Devon Edwenna Aoki is an American model and actress. Aoki's film roles include 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Sin City (2005), DOA: Dead or Alive (2006) and Mutant Chronicles (2008).
The Dinka tribe are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan with a sizable diaspora population abroad. The Dinka mostly live along the Nile, from Bor to Renk, in the region of Bahr el Ghazal, Upper Nile, and the Abyei Area of the Ngok Dinka in South Sudan.
The Lost Boys of Sudan refers to a group of over 20,000 boys of the Nuer and Dinka ethnic groups who were displaced or orphaned during the Second Sudanese Civil War (1987–2005). Two million were killed and others were severely affected by the conflict. The term was used by healthcare workers in the refugee camps and may have been derived from the children's story of Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. The term also was used to refer to children who fled the post-independence violence in South Sudan in 2011–2013.
South Sudanese Australians are people of South Sudanese ancestry or birth who live in Australia.
Kaia Jordan Gerber is an American model and actress. She is the daughter of model Cindy Crawford and businessman Rande Gerber. After starring in a series of ad campaigns for fashion brands since debuting at Fashion Week in 2017, Gerber won Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards. Gerber and her mother have worked together in campaigns for the Omega watch brand. Gerber is the first model born in the 2000s to achieve The Big Four of Vogue covers.
Ataui-Deng Hopkins, also known as Ataui Deng is a Sudanese American model who began her fashion career at the age of 17 in 2008. As the niece of Alek Wek, she began her career linked to her more famous aunt though her youth quickly became the aspect that the media focused on. She is from the Dinka people of South Sudan, and left for San Antonio, Texas in 2004, just one year before the Second Sudanese Civil War came to an end. She currently lives in New York City.
Thomas Jok Deng is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a central defender for J1 League club Albirex Niigata. Born a South Sudanese refugee in Kenya, he has represented the Australia national team.
Simone Thompson, better known as Slick Woods, is an American fashion model, known for her bald head, gapped teeth, and tattoos. Woods is a part of the "Social Media Modeling" or "Instagirl" movement as she has followers in the six-figure range.
Nyakim Gatwech is an Ethiopian-born American model of South Sudanese descent. She has attracted attention for her dark skin color and has achieved significant popularity on Instagram.
Adut Akech Bior is a South Sudanese-Australian model. Akech made her fashion week runway debut as an exclusive in the Saint Laurent S/S 17 show and went on to close both their F/W 17 and S/S 18 shows as an exclusive. In 2018, she was chosen as "Model of the Year" by models.com, an honour which was repeated the next year. Models.com includes Akech in its list of the "New Supers."
Anok Yai is an American fashion model. She is the first South Sudanese model and the second black model after Naomi Campbell to open a Prada show. She has made several appearances on i-D and international Vogue covers, including American Vogue three times. Models.com ranks her as one of the "New Supers" of this generation.
Nyadak Thot is a South Sudanese-Australian model. Thot became the last eliminated on the eighth cycle of Australia's Next Top Model and made her runway debut at the Yeezy S/S 17 show. She is best known for being a face of Fenty Beauty as well as playing the lead role in the Alice in Wonderland-inspired 2018 Pirelli Calendar.
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Aweng Chuol is a South Sudanese Australian model, actress, and artist.
Deng is also a common first or last name used among the tribes of South Sudan, shared by the Dinkas, Nuers and Shilluks. It has various meanings; for instance, it means "Rain" in Dinka. The Dinkas also believe that the most powerful god, ruler of all gods, is Deng.
Akon Changkou is an Australian model of South Sudanese heritage. She has appeared on the cover of British Vogue and Vogue France, and is perhaps best known for working with Louis Vuitton.