Duckie Thot

Nyadak "Duckie" Thot is an Australian fashion model known for her prominent runway appearances, global brand campaigns, and advocacy for diversity in the fashion industry. Born in Melbourne, Australia, to South Sudanese refugee parents, she rose to national prominence as a contestant on Australia's Next Top Model before building a successful international career based in New York City.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Duckie Thot was born on October 23, 1995, in Melbourne, Australia. Her family fled South Sudan during the civil war, and she was the first of her seven siblings born in Australia. Encouraged by her older sister Nikki Perkins, who was involved in modeling and content creation, Thot entered the fashion industry during her teenage years. In 2013, she competed on the eighth cycle of Australia's Next Top Model, where she finished in third place. Despite facing challenges as a model of color in the Australian fashion sector, she gained significant local visibility before relocating to Brooklyn, New York, to expand her career globally.

International Modeling Career

After moving to New York and signing with New York Model Management, Thot made her international runway debut at Kanye West's Yeezy Spring/Summer 2017 show. Her career quickly escalated as she booked high-profile opportunities, including walking in the 2018 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and starring in the 2018 Pirelli Calendar, an Alice in Wonderland-themed project featuring an all-Black cast photographed by Tim Walker. She has since walked for major luxury designers such as Balmain, Savage X Fenty, Moschino, and Oscar de la Renta, cementing her status as a top international model.

Brand Partnerships and Advocacy

Thot is widely recognized as a primary face for Rihanna's cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, starring in major launch campaigns that emphasized shade inclusivity. In 2018, she was named a global brand spokeswoman for L'Oréal Paris, representing the cosmetics giant in international advertising and high-profile events. Throughout her career, Thot has used her platform to highlight systemic issues within the beauty and fashion industries, advocating for better representation of dark-skinned models, wider product shade ranges, and proper hair styling expertise on set.