DUBAI: Nearly two decades into her modeling career, Shanina Shaik, an Australia-born model of Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Lithuania descent, said the moment that stayed with her most was not a runway show or magazine cover but the day she turned down a job.
In a post on Instagram this week, the Australian model opened up about a career decision she made for her son, revealing she once declined an opportunity that most people in her position would not have.
She paired the message with polished behind-the-scenes footage from a studio shoot. In the clip, Shaik poses against a bold red backdrop in a black-and-white-trimmed set, her dark hair swept back by a sleek headband and her makeup glowing under the lights.
“19 years in this industry. This is the decision that still sits with me,” she wrote in the caption.
“There was a moment I turned something down that I knew most people wouldn’t in my position,” Shaik wrote, “but being home to raise my son and spend time with him matters more than any campaign ever could. I don’t regret it. If anything, it’s the choice I’m proudest of.”
