Duckie Thot. From Australia’s Next Top Model to Tim Walker’s protagonist in the 2018 Alice in Wonderland Pirelli Calendar, the South Sudanese-Australian model has come a long way since reality TV fodder. Beautiful, outspoken and clear in her musing and reasoning, the industry’s misgivings are now water off a duck’s back for Thot, who takes pride in her role as an inspiring black woman. And with that, here is Duckie Thot, the woman, the model, the muse.

On finding makeup
“If you go through my makeup bag, I guarantee you’ll nd almost every make-up brand under the surface of the earth. But some brands are: Fenty Beauty, Lancome, MAC, Urban Decay, Dior Makeup, Bobby Brown, YSL, Chanel Makeup -— it’s a huge range!”

On changing perceptions
“I’ve only been modelling on an international level for just over a year. When I moved from Australia to New York at the end of 2016, I had no idea how much of a voice I’d be for women. I worked as hard as I could throughout 2017 but I still think the fashion industry has some restructuring to do. Certainly, in the last 12 months I have watched the industry’s perception of beauty become broader, but there is still a way to go.”

On Fenty beauty
“I absolutely adore Rihanna, to be able to work this closely with her has been such a huge blessing. She’s a woman who ghts hard for equality so the brand and its products really do speak for themselves. It’s more than just makeup, that was very clear with the rst campaign. Both media and the public were surprised at how diverse the cast was, it was all people spoke about; the diversity of the line. She made it a choice to be inclusive, she made it a choice to represent everyday women, which speaks volumes.”

On inspiring women
“There’s a lot going on in the world today and people have been given platforms (via social media and other mediums) to express themselves in ways that have really challenged the norms of our society and shaped better ways for tomorrow. It’s the people that go above and beyond to reveal the truth in areas that have been kept silent for so long, that I really admire. Women who choose to stand up and be an advocate for others.”

On Jaha Marie Dukure
“I had the pleasure of working with Jaha Marie Dukure for the 2018 Pirelli Calendar. She is an anti-FGM activists who chooses to stand up and advocate for others. Once she shared her story with me, we spoke non-stop. She was recently nominated for a Nobel Prize for the amazing work she does and she will forever be my role model. I’m honoured to call her a friend.”

On true beauty
“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

Homegrown iconic label BONDS are part of the growing swell of brands embracing diversity. It’s an inclusive message that clearly resonates with a wider audience. GRAZIA caught up with Duckie on the set of the new BONDS campaign.