FASHION: PRADA GOES BLACK

Fashion luxury powerhouse PRADA has used its first black model for a print campaign in over 19 years. Malaika Firth who is half Kenyan, half British, was born in Mombasa and raised in the United Kingdom. She is 19 years old, and shares the latest Prada seasonal ad series with 44 year old supermodel Christy Turlington. The last black model who was featured in an ad by the brand was Naomi Campbell back in 1994. Firth says she is  “extremely proud and happy” to be following in the footsteps of the pioneering black supermodel.

'Firth’s Kenyan mother introduced her daughter to the world of modeling after being inspired by the documentary The Model Agency, which aired in the U.K. in 2011. She then attained representation by Premier Models at the age of 17 due to her unique bone structure.'

Firth has also posed for brands like Burberry and Asos and magazines like i-D, Roller Coaster and Tank.
"Whenever I go to Kenya I never forget to buy clothes and toys because near where my family lives there is a tribe called 'The Giriamas,' they live in tiny huts, so it’s great to go and share the clothes and sweets with the children."She told i-D magazine.