The striking doll-like features of Nyadak Thot, also known as Duckie, an Australian-Sudanese model, have conquered the fashion world. Recently, she went viral on Twitter because of her out-of-this-world looks.
Meet the model
Nyadak “Duckie” Thot is a 28-year-old model with Sudanese parents, born in Melbourne, Australia. Her real name has tribal roots, but her nickname “Duckie” was given to her late in life. In school, neither the teachers nor her colleagues could pronounce her first name correctly, giving her the nickname she nowadays prefers to be called by.
Duckie was Introduced to the catwalk by her sister, Nikki Perkins, a model and YouTuber. Believing in her potential, she enrolled in the reality show Australia’s Next Top Model, securing a remarkable third place. She then moved to New York, USA, where she could get more modeling jobs, which proved to work well for her. There, she signed with New York Model Management and made her runway debut at Kanye West’s Yeezy Fashion Week.
Besides being known as the Black Barbie because of her relucent skin, Duckie’s career trajectory includes an impressive portfolio of fashion shows and campaigns for renowned brands such as Moschino, Oscar de la Renta, Rihanna (Fenty x Puma), among others.
Becoming the “it girl” in fashion
Rihanna’s protégé, Thot joined the ranks of Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty squad, collaborating with acclaimed makeup artist Pat McGrath. In an interview with Vogue Italia, she shared her biggest dream of gracing the cover of Vogue and starring in a global campaign for a major brand. In 2018, this dream materialized as Thot became a focal point in the Pirelli calendar, themed around Alice in Wonderland, alongside beauties like Lupita Nyong’o, Sean Combs, Adwoa Aboah, and Naomi Campbell. The calendar, photographed by Tim Walker and styled by Edward Enninful, the current director of Vogue UK, showcased her in a whimsical narrative.
Recently announced as the newest ambassador for L’Oréal Paris, Thot aims to inspire self-love and acceptance for dark-skinned girls. As a member of the L’Oréal Paris family, she stands alongside role models like Jane Fonda, Bianca Balti, and Liya Kebede.
