Jeff Francis Kissubi slams Australian fashion industry for lack of diversity

Black model slams Australian fashion industry for lack of diversity after he proved wrong doubters who ‘racially profiled’ him to claim he didn’t have what it takes to succeed

  • Jeff Francis Kissubi, a Black model from France, called for more racial diversity 
  • Kissubi is represented by Brazen Models and Greg Tyshing Represents Global
  • He acknowledged ‘so much’ has changed since he first moved to Australia
  • Called for brands to include more Indigenous Australians in campaigns 

A male model says the Australian fashion industry lacks diversity and he had to overcome racial profiling to become successful.

Jeff Francis Kissubi, who is black and born in France, called out the ‘whitewashed’ modeling industry of his adopted home.

‘The Australian fashion industry still lacks diversity especially being in a multicultural country but we breaking them boundaries,’ he wrote alongside a reel of his shoots on TikTok.

Jeff Francis Kissubi, a Black model from France, took to Tiktok to call out the whitewashed modeling industry Down Under – where he is currently living

Mr Kissubi acknowledged that 'so much' has changed since he moved to Australia in 2016, but said there is still a long way to go in terms of inclusivity

Mr Kissubi is represented by Brazen Models and Greg Tyshing Represents Global

Mr Kissubi also spoke out about the lack of diversity to his 12,000 Instagram followers

‘When the modelling industry in Australia told me I don’t have what it takes to be a model. So I became the model they could never claim.’

Mr Kissubi, who is represented by Brazen Models and Greg Tyshing Represents Global, also spoke out about the lack of diversity to his 12,000 Instagram followers. 

‘Here is to five years in the industry, I remember vividly when I sent my application to give it a go and man I was wrong and the rejection was hard,’ he wrote.

‘And I would honestly be lying if I didn’t point out how backwards the Australian fashion industry was back then.’

Mr Kissubi acknowledged ‘so much’ has changed since he moved to Australia in 2016, but said there was still a long way to go for inclusivity.

‘Brands should focus on representation of the minority in the country instead of the majority that has had the spotlight for years and ages,’ he said.

‘[It’s so refreshing to see a new face and body size, gender etc that is not set around the standard of what we see beauty and representation in this country.’

The Frenchman called for brands to make greater strides in including indigenous Australians in campaigns, but to avoid doing so in a ‘performative’ way. 

The Frenchman called for brands to make greater strides in including indigenous Australians in campaigns, but to avoid doing so in a 'performative' way

The Frenchman called for brands to make greater strides in including indigenous Australians in campaigns, but to avoid doing so in a ‘performative’ way

Last month Cambage shared two of the images of athletes approved by the Australian Olympic Committee ahead of this year's games, alongside critical comments blasting them for a lack of diversity

Last month Cambage shared two of the images of athletes approved by the Australian Olympic Committee ahead of this year’s games, alongside critical comments blasting them for a lack of diversity 

Mr Kissubi’s call for change was weeks after Australian basketball great Liz Cambage blasted the lack of visible diversity in the nation’s ‘whitewashed’ Olympics promotional photos.

Last month Cambage shared two of the images of athletes approved by the Australian Olympic Committee ahead of this year’s games, alongside critical comments blasting them for a lack of diversity.

The two-time Olympian later added she would ‘sit-out’ the Tokyo Games until she felt the inclusion issue was addressed – but later walked back that threat.

‘If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times. How am I meant to represent a country that doesn’t even represent me?,’ she wrote on Instagram with the hashtag ‘whitewashedaustralia’.

She also added: ‘Australia wake the f**k up. I’m not playing these games anymore’.

Kissubi's call for change comes after Australian basketball great Liz Cambage blasted the lack of visible diversity in the nation's 'whitewashed' Olympics promotional photos.

Kissubi’s call for change comes after Australian basketball great Liz Cambage blasted the lack of visible diversity in the nation’s ‘whitewashed’ Olympics promotional photos.