Why Seren was the star Milan Fashion Week needed

My name is Seren Koekemoer, I’m 21 years old and currently studying towards my LLB at the University of the Witwatersrand.

From February 19 – 25, I was fortunate enough to model in Milan, Italy, by partaking in the biannual Milan Fashion Week. Namely, the Fall/Winter Collection 2024-2025.

The opportunity arose via pure coincidence as I was merely scrolling through Instagram and discovered an open casting, whereby the public was able to forward their modelling portfolios and Z cards (Z cards are like business cards for models and usually contain the best images from their portfolio to highlight their talent and versatility) in order to initiate the selection process. If selected by the talent agent herself, then you were granted the opportunity to attend an international fashion week and potentially navigate international representation. Two days following my Fashion Week submission, I had been contacted by the talent agent and asked to join the trip to Milan.

On arrival in Milan, we expeditiously grasped every opportunity of connecting with agents based within the city in an attempt to sign with their model agency. The agency meetings were productive and show great promise. News regarding the outcomes will only be relayed before ensuing the Fashion Week period across the globe. Furthermore, we utilised the exquisite landscapes of Milan to do photoshoots in order to build our portfolios and enter the international modelling market. This occurred at destinations such as the Duomo di Milano, Navigli Canals and the infamous Vogue kiosk based at Via Croce Rosso 2.

The pinnacle of my trip was having the privilege of walking for AMR Couture at Milan Fashion Week. This day entailed fast paced fittings where designers had to fit models to their garments, hair, make-up and rehearsals prior to the show taking place. Milan Fashion Week holds itself to a calibre that exceeds anything I had previously experienced in South Africa. I had the pleasure of connecting with international models, photographers, hair, and make-up artists as well as designers that I continue to communicate with even after returning to South Africa.

My modelling career has been long and extensive. I was initially scouted by a modelling school when I lived in Port Elizabeth at the age of eight. After relocating to Johannesburg in 2012, I continued that journey where I finally signed with an agency at the age of 16 and booked my first job for Coca Cola South Africa.
Subsequently, I started taking modelling and the industry seriously and made the educated decision to become an independent model. Following this decision, I have walked in the likes of South Africa Fashion Week (SAFW), Africa Fashion International (AFI – Africa Fashion Week), Fashion Without Borders, Seychelles Fashion Week, Soweto Fashion Week, and many others. As well as working alongside many infamous South African designers such as Malondie, Urban Zulu, Viviers, Bathu and David Tlale.

My love for fashion and the industry stems from my icon, Candice Swanepoel, a prominent South African supermodel. Her successes across the globe has provided representation for South African girls in the global fashion industry. Seeing someone from my country achieve international recognition and success is incredibly empowering and inspiring. She has showed me that pursuing one’s dreams, embracing one’s uniqueness, and striving for success in whichever path you choose is possible. I aim to emulate her professionalism, hard work, and dedication into my career.

This trip has taught me many valuable skills and lessons. I have become proficient in navigating foreign environments, I have learnt how to communicate with international persons, I have acquired skills in exuding confidence even within unfamiliar surroundings, and I have built valuable international connections. All of which I could not be more grateful for. I aim to inspire other South African models. I want to motivate others to take that leap of faith that they are so hesitantly contemplating as nothing is handed to you; you have to fetch it yourself. Everyone is capable of navigating this industry – you just have to want it more then the person next to you.

My future plans include signing with an international sister agency. I want to establish myself more in South Africa and becoming a constant on the International Fashion Week scene – be it Milan, Paris, London or New York, and hopefully my work will inspire others to try and do the same.

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