Bella Hadid might have jetted out of Australian fashion week, taking her reported $260,000 pay cheque with her. But those fearing a lack of star power on the runway in her absence at the remaining shows have had their concerns assuaged today, with the announcement that not one, but two *major* models are on their way to walk the runway at MBFWA.
Homegrown Victoria’s Secret Angel Shanina Shaik and Canadian supermodel Winnie Harlow are en route to Sydney, ready to add some A-list sparkle to the catwalk this week
Those seeking Shaik will be able to find her exclusively on the Oscar de la Renta runway on Friday. The 25-year-old is not only opening the show – which will officially close MBFWA on Friday – but will also be appearing at the brand’s after party that evening. Shaik is no stranger to the brand, having walked for Oscar de la Renta in 2012. Since then, she’s dominated both the international show circuit – think: Chanel, Tom Ford – the Victoria’s secret catwalk (four star turns and counting so far) as well as jetting back to Australia periodically to appear at events for brands like Myer.
Winnie Harlow, however, will appear as the guest of Bambi Northwood-Blyth and Dan Single’s P.Jame. She’ll be walking in the brand’s much-anticipated first runway show tomorrow night at The Ivy Boudoir.
It’s the first trip to Australia for the 21-year-old, who made her name in 2011 when she was just 17 by appearing in a Youtube video entitled ‘Vitiligo: A Skin Condition Not A Life Changer’. “People have black skin, people have brown skin, I have both,” she said proudly in the clip.
Since then, she’s gone on to become one of the most popular contestants on America’s Next Top Model, fronted campaigns for Diesel and Desigual and staring in Beyonce’s Lemonade visual album alongside Serena Williams and Amanda Stenlberg, an opportunity she reveals she almost turned down. “I was actually contacted by their [Beyonce’s] team a couple weeks prior but my agent at the time didn’t get back to them because they wouldn’t tell us much about the project,” she recalled recently in an interview with Billboard.
Welcome to Sydney, Winnie!
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