[Photos courtesy of Nyasha Matonhodze's portfolio]
The past few seasons have seen some (but nowhere near enough) diversity on and off runways amidst recurring observations that fashion simply isn't inclusive enough. While one luxury fashion house gets flack for its lack of minority representation (*coughs* Chanel *coughs*), another (Louis Vuitton) toes a path less travelled and uses six of fashion's freshest faces for its F/W campaign, including a name that's probably bound for meteoric rise from now on: 16-year-old Zimbabwe-born Nyasha Matonhodze, the 2009 winner of the UK Elite Model Look competition.
[Nyasha Matonhodze for Louis Vuitton A/W 2011]
Gloved and decked out in luxury from head-to-toe, the juxtaposition of youth and old world glamour is both believable and refreshing -- perhaps this'll give other luxury brands the guts to 'go minority'? Or perhaps not. Time will tell. In recent times, we've see Joan Smalls for Gucci, Ataui Deng for Kenzo and now Nyasha Matonhodze for Louis Vuitton -- who would you love to see grace a major campaign next? Our money's on Ajak Deng, who happens to be one of Nyasha's model BFFs.
Big, big congratulations to Nyasha on this incredible milestone! 16 years old, (probably) the first African girl to feature in a Louis Vuitton campaign and a #prettybigdeal.
Learn more about Nyasha:
Interview with NY Mag
Nyasha's model profile [NY Mag]
Northampton sixteen-year-old becomes new face of Louis Vuitton [Telegraph]
- SLiq
Photos courtesy of:
