Estée Lauder, the flagship beauty brand of the Estée Lauder Companies (ELC), has announced Australian-South Sudanese model and activist Adut Akech as its latest global brand ambassador.
Starting her life in a refugee camp in Kenya, Africa, the 21-year-old began her modelling career at 16 after her family emigrated to Australia, and soon became a darling of the fashion world, working with renowned designers such as the late Karl Lagerfeld and going on to grace the cover of numerous magazines including global editions of Vogue and i-D.
Crowned Model of the Year at the British Fashion Awards in 2019, Akech made her beauty debut the following year as the face of Valentino's Born in Rome fragrance, starring alongside Palestinian-Dutch model Anwar Hadid.
Akech described her new role as a “dream come true”, saying: "Estée Lauder has such an amazing heritage, and the story of Mrs Estée Lauder continues to be an inspiration to women around the world.
“Like her, I hope to inspire girls everywhere to never give up on following their dreams."
Outside of the fashion and beauty world, Akech is also lending her voice to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), using her own story and platform to promote initatives to support refugees globally.
Stéphane de La Faverie, ELC Group President and Global Brand President of Estée Lauder, added: "Adut is one of fashion's biggest and most influential stars.
"We believe her incredible story, personality and beauty will help us continue to inspire and connect with our consumers and establish her as a beauty icon of her generation.”
Akech will star in campaigns for Estée Lauder's make-up and skin care products across digital, in-store, TV and print advertisements from this July.
She joins the brand's star-studded roster of global ambassadors that includes fellow South Sudanese model Anok Yai, as well as Ana de Armas, Bianca Brandolini D'Adda, Carolyn Murphy, Diana Penty, Grace Elizabeth, Karlie Kloss, Kōki and Yang Mi.