ONE IN A SERIES OF PHOTOS AND CAPTIONS RUNNING THROUGHOUT FASHION WEEK SLUGGED "MODELS OF THE WORLD," EXPLORING THE LIVES OF MODELS
Fashion model Mari Agory of South Sudan has glitter applied to her eyelids backstage before the Christian Siriano Spring 2015 collection show Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, during Fashion Week in New York. Born in Khartoum, Sudan, Agory's family lived in what is now known as South Sudan. The youngest of eight children, she and her family fled to Egypt in 1999 during her country's civil war, where they were granted political asylum by the United States, eventually settling in San Diego, Calif. Agory, 23, was discovered at age 20 by a photographer while attending her junior year of college. "It's considered late in the industry," she explains, "because girls start really young." For Agory, homesickness is her biggest hurdle. "Especially when I go over to Europe," she explains, "but when I'm in New York, for some reason, I still feel close to my family because I'm in the States." Despite sometimes going a full year between visits home, Agory admits that life on the road can also be rewarding. "I get to see the beauty of this world, and it's part of my job," she explains. When asked about how long she sees herself modeling, Agory jokes, "I'm gonna do it until my skin starts crackin'." Although she has not been able to return to her native country since her family fled, Agory, who studied public health in college, hopes to utilize her education and opportunities generated by her modeling career to contribute something positive to her home country. "There's just something that pulls me back." (AP Photo/Jason DeCrow), APTOPIX