Peeking out from a row of painstakingly placed pistachio feathers on the trim of a coat worn backwards, the future face of Australian fashion made her international runways debut at Paris Fashion Week on Wednesday.
In two months, model Amou Ring has taken the express runway lane from Australian Fashion Week, bypassing appearances in catalogues and online shopping pages to star in the Balenciaga haute couture show.
“Being selected to walk alongside industry titans such as Gigi Hadid is a strong endorsement from one of the industry’s most influential creative teams,” says Julian Niznik, IMG Models managing director Australia. “It immediately elevates Amou’s international profile and places her alongside the world’s top models.”
“It’s a significant milestone, but we see it as only the beginning.”
Ring’s actual beginning was in Egypt, where she was born before moving to Sydney with her family of eight siblings.
“Growing up in Australia gave me a strong sense of resilience, discipline and opportunity,” Ring, 24, said from Paris. “Being raised in such a multicultural country helped me appreciate different cultures and perspectives, and it’s something I’ve carried with me throughout my career. Australia gave me the foundation to dream big while staying grounded in hard work.”
Ring signed with IMG Models in May and was immediately thrust onto the Australian Fashion Week runway, appearing in nine shows including Maticevski, Mariam Seddiq, Bianca Spender, Aje and Nagnata. Before this, she played basketball while studying business administration in the US.
“Basketball instilled discipline, consistency and the ability to perform under pressure. Those qualities translate directly into modelling, whether it’s taking direction, working with a team or staying focused in demanding environments.”
Ring joins a new wave of Australian models with South Sudanese heritage finding success with major luxury labels. Josephen Akuei from Melbourne traded football to become a favourite for Chanel, appearing in their advertising campaigns and this week’s haute couture show.
French and British Vogue cover star Akon Changkou was raised in Melbourne and former dental assistant Achok Akoi from Canberra has walked the runway for Hermes, Gucci and Erdem.
Supermodels Duckie Thot and Adut Akech helped bring the industry’s attention to South Sudanese Australians, but Ring looks to modelling stars from the 70s and 90s for inspiration.
“I have a lot of respect for the women who have helped shape the fashion industry and created
opportunities for future generations,” Ring says. “I admire Alek Wek, Iman and Bethann Hardison for breaking barriers, redefining beauty standards and opening doors for models like me. Their influence extends far beyond fashion, and they have inspired countless people, including me.”
Niznik believes that Ring has the same qualities to become a role model for future runway stars.
“Amou has an incredibly rare combination of natural presence, professionalism and adaptability,” says Niznik, who has worked with Claudia Schiffer and Shalom Harlow.
“She inspires. Those qualities are key for top models, they are the foundation for stardom.”
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