Aduts World
Allure|May 2019

South Sudanese Model Adult Akech Made It Out Of A Refugee Camp, Endured Bullying At School, And Was Told She Wouldn't Succeed In The Business. Now, With A Model Of The Year Title And An Impressive List Of Runaway Credits. Magazine Covers, And Fashion Campaigns Under Her Belt, She Lives A Life Without Boundaries.

Baze Mpinja
Aduts World

If I were her, I would be so annoyed right now. That’s what I think, watching Adut Akech as preparations for her Allure cover shoot get underway very early one morning inside a sprawling studio space in New York City. She sits in the hair and makeup area, wearing a white bathrobe; the manicurist is filing her nails while the hairstylist is busy shaping her Afro into a Grace Jones– inspired fade. The clippers are buzzing, and onlookers are hovering nearby. I’m standing in front of Akech, but I can’t see her face because it’s covered by a sheet mask. But that spectacularly sculpted face is animated, and she’s chatting with me as if this were a perfectly normal way to have an intimate conversation. She’s only just begun an 11-hour day of shooting, but complaining isn’t Akech’s thing, even when she has every right to gripe. A bit of stress on set and a reporter grilling her during every break isn’t enough to faze her. Her marathon schedule can be rough, but she’s had harder days than this.

This story is from the May 2019 edition of Allure.

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This story is from the May 2019 edition of Allure.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.