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Adding colour to the world of fashion

Alum Nafisa Kaptownwala’s modelling agency is all about diversity
December 5, 2016
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By Toula Drimonis


When Nafisa Kaptownwala, BFA (art history) 13, was a Concordia student, she noticed that her fellow Faculty of Fine Arts students’ photos for magazines and fashion outlets did not include models from diverse backgrounds.

As a woman of East Indian origin, living and studying in a city as multicultural as Montreal, she found that odd.

Nafisa Kaptownwala Nafisa Kaptownwala, BFA 13, is the founder of Lorde Inc., a modelling agency that exclusively features people of colour. The startup agency is actively looking for investors. | Photo credit: Arvida Bystrom

That observation would be the beginning of a seed that, a few years later, would germinate and grow into Lorde Inc., a street casting modelling agency founded by Kaptownwala that solely features people of colour. A street casting agency scouts models off the street for TV, film and fashion.

Today, the Toronto-based agency has signed more than 60 models from London, Toronto and New York City, and Kaptownwala continues to actively promote diversity and inclusivity in an industry that is all too often not keen on acknowledging its shortcomings.

The 27-year-old discusses her reasons for starting the modelling agency for people of colour, and the public and industry’s reaction to it so far.

What propelled you to launch a casting agency for models of colour?

Nafisa Kaptownwala: “It started at Concordia, when I noticed my friends in the Faculty of Fine Arts not using any models of colour for their photo shoots. When I moved to the United Kingdom after graduating, some of my friends who were models of colour were expressing similar frustrations, and that’s when I decided to go for it.

I found it jarring to still see so little diversity in 2014, and so Lorde Inc. was born.”

How is Lorde Inc. different from other modelling agencies?

NK: “Aside from the obvious — we’re an agency that signs on only models of colour — we try to also focus on inclusiveness in how we choose the models. I’m conscientious of any disabilities, of how they identify, their gender orientation, etc. I really don’t know of any other agency that would even be having this conversation.

Lorde Inc. is also a modern agency that reflects and is influenced by social media. I routinely scout Instagram and Tumblr to find new faces to sign because those platforms can give me an excellent idea of someone’s personality. Modelling is about much more than just a pretty face.

We also don’t require that our models have printed portfolios. They can show up to a casting call with an iPad, and that’s considerably cheaper for a model starting out.”

How has the reaction been from the fashion and advertising industry? Is it still hard to sell diversity?

NK: “For the most part we’ve been pretty well received. We have a solid cult online following of people who like and respect what we’re trying to do, and casting agencies are always looking for what’s fresh and new. But it’s still a challenge to push diversity.

Big fashion houses will never have our models walking down their runways because inclusivity to us means all sizes and looks, and that’s not what they’re necessarily looking for.”

You were born and raised in Vancouver and now reside in Toronto. How did your time at Concordia and in Montreal influence you?

NK: “I heard great things about Concordia before attending, and while there I took some really great classes and was happy as a student. I’m still absolutely in love with Montreal and often think about moving back — even if it’s not possible for me at the moment.”

Do you occasionally worry that your agency might facilitate tokenism?

NK: “That’s a great question. Now that we’re better established and no longer scrambling to get jobs for our models, we can afford to be a bit pickier with our choices. I often screen potential clients by asking questions about how they plan on using our models and what the final images will look like. Will they be fetishized in their portrayal, for example?

It’s also not just about the final images, but how they are treated behind the scenes, the politics that play out and the layers of subtle prejudice still happening. I also try to have realistic conversations with my models, and remind them that this is fashion after all, a shallow industry to begin with and not your typical ‘social justice’ crowd.

Some of my concerns might go completely over clients’ heads. That being said, respect should always be demanded.”

Is your agency’s name a nod to African American writer, feminist and civil rights activist Audre Lorde?

NK: “Absolutely! The politics were definitely intentional on my end.”

For more on Lorde Inc. check out lordeinc.com. For bookings and inquiries, email info@lordeinc.com.

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