IN an industry long criticised for its narrow and unattainable beauty standards, CLOUT is shattering conventions by launching a roster of talented and versatile models that truly reflect the diversity of the real world.
The one-year-old agency held its inaugural graduation ceremony which also coincided with its official launch this past weekend.
Held at Euphoria in Killarney, Bulawayo, the event put key industry stakeholders such as marketing executive Mondli Hlongwane from Edgars, former Miss Zimbabwe Bongani Dhlakama and the godmother of modelling in the Midlands province, Mavis Koslek, in one room.
By embracing a wide range of ages, sizes, ethnicities and backgrounds, CLOUT is adding a new meaning to what it takes to be a model and in the process, giving a voice to those who have been historically marginalised or overlooked.
“We are all about inclusivity here at CLOUT. We have among our graduating students a 23-year-old mother. We have a plus size model strutting her stuff because our focus is on empowerment. So we are breaking the mould of traditional modelling agencies and paving the way for a more authentic and diverse representation of beauty in the fashion industry,” said the agency’s founder Philip Mthokozisi Masuku.
Masuku challenged stakeholders to hire the models as they had taken proper channels of enrolling with legitimate agencies.
Nine models graduated on the night.
One of the hosts for the night, Pardon Khanye, threw a nostalgic question at Dhlakama on what she would tell her 10-year-old self today.
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“Because I didn’t know much then, I assumed that everything is cut out and dried, but still the world is full of opportunities,” she responded.
“I would say work hard and have something that you like, follow it through with a passion and energy and learn from others. Everyone you meet is important and it does not matter how you view them.”
In her congratulatory remarks, Koslek emphasised the need to protect models from abuse.
