JUBA: Heels click on cracked paving stones as fantastically long-limbed men and women practice moves they hope will whisk them away from South Sudan, one of the fashion world’s favorite scouting locations.
Many hope to follow in the footsteps of their compatriot Awar Odhiang, who went from a refugee camp in Ethiopia to closing Chanel’s Paris Fashion Week show last year.
South Sudan has been mired in conflict, poverty and corruption since its independence in 2011, but the success of its models has been a ray of positivity.
No less than nine of the top 50 models currently listed on Models.com are originally from the east African country.
“Paris, Milan, London — the fashion industry is dominated by South Sudanese boys and girls at the moment,” said Doris Sukeji, founder of the Jubalicious modelling agency in the capital Juba.
