Have you ever been walking at the mall and been mistaken for a Barbie doll? Well, if
you’re Australian model Duckie Thot, this odd occurrence is a reality! While the model
nicknamed “Black Barbie” is taking the internet and fashion world by storm, her life
wasn’t always so glamorous. Duckie is a great example of how someone can go through
judgment and hardship and come out on top.
Meet Duckie Thot.
Pretty gorgeous, isn’t she? Before she was posing in front of flashing lights, Duckie
was born on October 23, 1995, and went by the name Nyadak Thot. She grew up alongside
6 other siblings and was raised in Melbourne, Australia. Duckie’s parents had bravely
taken their children to Melbourne after escaping South Sudan, a place ridden with dangerous
war. In Australia, Duckie’s father worked as a veterinarian; her mother worked in childcare.
As a child, Duckie enjoyed riding horses, being outside, and is a self-proclaimed “country
bum at heart.”
As Duckie grew up, she realized quickly that she wanted to become a model. She took her
first step onto the proverbial catwalk at age 17 when she joined the cast of Australia’s
Next Top Model. Duckie believed this would be her big break as it offered the winner
of the competition a one-year modeling contract with IMG Models, a trip to Paris (valued at
$20,000), and an 8-page spread in the coveted fashion magazine Harper’s Bazaar Australia!
See, the stakes weren’t high at all…
While Duckie ended up coming in third, her time on the show wasn’t easy. The stylists
had a hard time caring for Duckie’s hair correctly, which worked against her. Later,
in an Instagram post, Duckie revealed that she was forced to cornrow her own hair because
the stylists had no idea what to do with her. This embarrassed Duckie, and she was sad to
learn that professional stylists didn’t know how to deal with hair like hers. In an
interview with Teen Vogue, Duckie said that she felt like a joke when she was on the show,
and the entire experience left her with low confidence.
On top of all that, fans of the show and even colleagues spoke badly about the aspiring
model and would say truly offensive things about her that she didn’t deserve.
This disheartening experience on Top Model led Duckie to play around with her hair throughout
the rest of her modeling career. She told Teen Vogue Magazine that she’s tried everything
from shaving her head to rocking pink hair — whatever she thought would please the
client. But in the end, this made her realize that being her complete self is what would
help her feel confident and sexy.
Once Duckie fully embraced this sentiment, her career took off, and people couldn’t
help but notice her raw, incredible beauty. While dealing with all the negativity and
ignorance was hard for her, Duckie persevered and didn’t stop pursuing her dream of modeling.
Today Duckie continues to inspire women to embrace their natural beauty and to be authentically
themselves no matter what other people think. Duckie now has millions of fans and landed
a contract with New York Model Management. She even strutted down the catwalk for Kanye
West’s fashion label, Yeezy. She’s also walked in the Victoria’s Secret fashion
show, Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty, and much more. I don’t know about you, but I can’t
wait to see what else Duckie accomplishes in her career!
Winnie Harlow
Duckie Thot isn’t the only model to break the stereotypical model mold and make it to
the top. Model Chantelle Brown-Young, also known as Winnie Harlow, knows what it’s
like to be judged by the way she looks. Winnie was born with an autoimmune disorder called
vitiligo, which causes patches of the skin to lack pigment. This condition left her looking
different to other models, but that didn’t stop her from showing her beauty off to the
world. Sadly, Winnie was bullied a lot in school, but those mean kids are probably feeling
pretty awful today because Winnie is killing the modeling game! Winnie has a massive following
online and has walked for huge brands. But perhaps one of the model’s most impressive
feats is being the very first model with vitiligo to walk the catwalk in a Victoria’s Secret
fashion show! She inspires everyone to embrace their differences and love who they are.
Diandra Forrest
Diandra Forrest is another model who knows what it’s like to be judged by what she
looks like. Diandra is an African-American model who was born with albinism, and she
was the very first albino model to be signed to a major modeling agency! But before she
accomplished the practically impossible, Diandra faced a lot of scrutiny and judgment growing
up. As a kid, she was asked if she was adopted and was stared at and laughed at by strangers.
Diandra worked hard to represent albinism with dignity and grace and to help destroy
the notion that people who looked like her were “freaks.” They are people just like
you and me! Diandra has paved the way for other albino models, and more and more of
them are coming out and showing the world how truly beautiful they are.
Carmen Dell’Orefice
While the models mentioned in this video so far have been on the younger side, that doesn’t
mean that models of older ages aren’t breaking the stereotypical model mold as well! Carmen
Dell’Orefice is an incredibly stunning, successful model, and she’s slightly older
than your typical model…let’s just say she blows out at least 80 candles on her birthday
cake! After a whopping 73 years of modeling (and counting!), Carmen is the longest-working
model in history! What’s remarkable about Carmen is the fact that she doesn’t attempt
to hide her age to appear younger. She rocks her gray locks and beautifully aged face on
magazine covers and major advertising campaigns even at the age of 86. And with years of modeling
and multiple hip surgeries behind her, there’s not much stopping Carmen — even at 86 years
young!
Brunette Moffy
In 2017, a whole new kind of model stepped onto the scene. From across a room, Brunette
Moffy doesn’t look much different to other models you’ve seen in magazines: She has
pretty brown hair, slender long legs, and a nice smile. But as you get closer to her,
you’ll see that Brunette has noticeably crossed eyes. This condition is officially
known as strabismus, and it definitely makes Brunette stand out from the crowd. Pretty
different, right?
Despite this unique trait, Brunette never let it stand in the way of her modeling aspirations.
In 2017, she was taken on by Storm Modeling, the same agency that represents Cara Delevingne,
Cindy Crawford, and Kate Moss! While it’s a little surprising to see the way her eyes
look in photos at first, her condition doesn’t take away from her beauty. If anything, it
enhances it! It’s so great to see a model embracing something different, turning it
into something that makes her truly sensational!
What’s something different about you that you’re proud of? Even if it’s scary, sometimes
sharing what’s different about you helps connect us. We all have differences, and that’s
what makes the world such a beautiful place! Share your opinions in the comments. We’d
love to start a conversation! Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more inspirational
videos, and be sure to give this video a like and share it with your friends! Stay on the
Bright Side!