As part of their ‘Love the Progress’ campaign, Converse approached ACCLAIM to share the stories of Australian women we admired. We heard from teenage boxing powerhouse Rahma Soliman and Syrian-Iraqi songwriter Wafia. This week, we’ll photograph three models treading a new path in the industry.

“Wouldn’t it be nice to grow up seeing someone who looks like you on the covers of magazines and on the runway?” Shimma Maire asks us, rhetorically, during a break on the set of our shoot. We’re in Centennial Park in Sydney, pausing for a coffee (and some Sour Patch Kids). A few feet away a stylist is lacing two more model’s high tops, Ajier Manassah and Laura Kidd. The three women are relatively new faces by industry standards, but they’ve racked up an impressive rolodex of clients. Laura in Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore, Shimma and Ajier in doingbird and of course, all three with us now at Acclaim. (Is that a humble brag? Or just an outright brag?). “I’m finally seeing less of the unattainable imagery we once used to strive for and more realness,” Shimma says as the shoot wraps, “I find comfort in that.” View the full editorial in the gallery above.

Converse’s Love The Progress collection is available now at www.converse.com.au. 

Photography Claudia Smith
Hair & Makeup Corinna Wilmshurst
Ajier @ Priscillas, Laura and Shimma @ Kult