Model Gemma Ward lands her second major fashion campaign after a six-year hiatus as she stars in new Prada ad

By OLIVIA FLEMING FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 18:55, 31 December 2014 | UPDATED: 21:22, 31 December 2014

After her surprise appearance on the Prada runway in September, Gemma Ward has landed a spot in the Italian fashion house's latest campaign.

The 27-year-old Australian model, who had previously been on a six-year hiatus, stars in the black and white spring 2015 campaign, shot by Steven Meisel.

The mother-of-one, who gave birth to daughter Naia in December 2013, poses wearing a sleeveless brocade dress from Prada's spring '15 collection.

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Gemma Ward, who had previously been on a six year hiatus from modeling, stars in Prada's new spring 2015 campaign, shot by Steven Meisel

It has been a big year for Miss Ward, who made her modeling comeback in October with a campaign for Australian fashion and lifestyle brand, Country Road, which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. 

This month she also graces the 55th anniversary cover of Vogue Australia; the fourth oldest Vogue magazine the world after the U.S., UK and France.

The last campaign Miss Ward starred in was for Dolce and Gabbana in 2008. 

Speaking about her break from modeling with Sunday Style, Miss Ward admitted: ‘I felt maybe a bit mute as a model sometimes. And I was exhausted. I wanted time, to find my story, my…power.'

After her surprise appearance on the Prada runway in September (pictured), the 27-year-old has landed a spot in the Italian fashion house's latest campaign

She added that the break was a 'personal choice,' and explained that she is 'all the better for it.'

Miss Ward, who was the youngest to ever grace the cover of American Vogue and was rumored at the height of her career to be earning $20,000 per runway show, left from her original modeling agent, Vivian's, last year and signed with IMG Models - which also represents Gisele Bundchen, Miranda Kerr and Kate Upton - before giving birth to her daughter.

'It has given me a strength of purpose,' Miss Ward told the Sydney Morning Herald of motherhood.

'It's also created a confidence for me. I stepped away (from modeling) and I'm back with a feeling of pure enjoyment. I see it in my future now and I can't wait.' 

Gemma Ward opens Prada S/S 2015 Womenswear Show

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Prada model Malaika Firth tipped as the next big thing in fashion

Prada model Malaika Firth: 'To be compared to Naomi Campbell is WOW!' British girl tipped as the next big thing in fashion

• Kenyan-born Malaika Firth stars in new campaign
• She is first black face of Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1994
• Says it is an amazing achievement
• Jourdan Dunn and Joan Smalls are her inspirations

By BIANCA LONDON

PUBLISHED: 16:20, 10 July 2013 | UPDATED: 16:20, 10 July 2013

She is the first black model to be cast by Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1994.

And now, Malaika Firth, a Kenyan-born, UK-raised model, has even been hailed as the next Naomi.

The 19-year-old is one of seven models in the new Prada autumn/winter ad campaign, starring alongside industry heavyweight Christy Turlington and Chinese model Fei Fei Sun.

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Milestone: Kenyan-born Malaika Firth features in Prada's new ad campaign

Prada rarely hires Asian and black models so Malaika's inclusion in the campaign is something of a milestone, which the model herself describes as 'amazing'.

Malaika, who is on Premier Model Management's books and has been modelling since 2011, told WWD that she first saw her Prada campaign when she was in IKEA.

She said: 'I was buying a sofa and I heard my phone ring. My agency was like, “The pictures are out.” I was so excited. I screamed in IKEA. I couldn’t help it.

'Naomi Campbell is so big, so for me to be compared with her is wow.'

New face: 19-year-old Malaika has been tipped to be the next Naomi Campbell, which she says is amazing

Malaika first decided to get into modelling after watching Channel 4's The Model Agency. Her mother then called up Premier when she was just 17 and began taking her for castings.

She cites Jourdan Dunn and Joan Smalls as her inspirations and says she worked very hard to get where she is right now.

Twitter has been extremely excited about her appearance in the Prada campaign.

One user wrote: 'What took so long? “@GlobalGrindStyl: Prada breaks two decade hiatus by casting a black model in ad campaign.'

Scouted: Malaika first decided to get into modelling after watching Channel 4's The Model Agency and has since become the second black model after Naomi (R) to star in Prada's campaign 

Another added: 'Prada wakes up, casts black model for first time in 19 years.'

Jenna Sauers, a writer from Jezebel.com, wrote: 'As we've documented repeatedly on this website, the fashion industry as a whole has a number of problems with race - whether it's the under-representation of models of color on the world's biggest runways, or the spate of ignorant but widely copied trends, like blackface references in editorials. 

'Perhaps no single brand has embodied near-total whiteness more than Prada. What made the company finally hire a black model for its seasonal ad campaign? Prada isn't saying. Let's hope it won't be 19 years before we see another.'  

Work ethic: She cites Jourdan Dunn and Joan Smalls as her inspirations and says she worked very hard to get where she is right now

Malaika introduces herself on her YouTube channel

Read more:

• Model Call: Malaika Firth

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Prada cast a black model for the first time in TWO DECADES

• Kenyan-born Malaika Firth stars in new campaign
• She is first black face of Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1994

By BIANCA LONDON

PUBLISHED: 18:16, 1 July 2013 | UPDATED: 20:18, 1 July 2013

Prada have cast a black model for their fall/winter 13 campaign for the first time since 1994.

Malaika Firth, a Kenyan-born, U.K.-raised model, is one of seven in the new ad campaign, starring alongside the likes of industry heavyweight Christy Turlington and Chinese model Fei Fei Sun.

Prada rarely hires Asian and black models so the 19-year-old's inclusion in the campaign is something of a milestone.

Scroll down for video

Milestone: Kenyan-born Malaika Firth features in Prada's new ad campaign

Malaika, who has been modelling since 2011, is the first black face of Prada since Naomi Campbell in 1994.

Between Campbell's runway appearance in 1993, and 2008, when Jourdan Dunn took to the catwalk, Prada had no black models in any of its women's runway shows. 

Finally multi-cultural: The campaign also includes Chinese model Fei Fei Sun

Seasoned model: Christy Turlington joins the new faces in the fall campaign, shot by Steven Meisel

The Twittersphere seem extremely excited about the big news.

One user wrote: 'What took so long? “@GlobalGrindStyl: Prada breaks two decade hiatus by casting a black model in ad campaign.'

Another added: 'Prada wakes up, casts black model for first time in 19 years.'

Malaika introduces herself on her YouTube channel

Jenna Sauers, a writer from Jezebel.com, wrote: 'As we've documented repeatedly on this website, the fashion industry as a whole has a number of problems with race - whether it's the under-representation of models of color on the world's biggest runways, or the spate of ignorant but widely copied trends, like blackface references in editorials. 

'Perhaps no single brand has embodied near-total whiteness more than Prada. What made the company finally hire a black model for its seasonal ad campaign? Prada isn't saying. Let's hope it won't be 19 years before we see another.' 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2352677/Prada-cast-black-model-time-TWO-DECADES.html#ixzz2Xpp0Zdcy
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